A Pocket Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue: (Funny Book of Vintage British Swear Words, 18th Century English Curse Words and Slang)

Description

A Pocket Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue is a profane guide to the slang from the backstreets and taverns of 18th-century London. This slang dictionary gathers the most amusing and useful terms from English history and helpfully presents them to be used in the conversations of our modern day. Originally published in 1785, the Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue was one of the first lexicons of English slang , compiled by a militia captain who collected the terms he overheard on his late-night excursions to London's slums, dockyards, and taverns. Now the legacy lives on in this colorful pocket dictionary. • Learn the origin of phrases like "birthday suit" and discover slang lost to time. • Handy pocket-sized edition allows you to whip out vintage curse words whenever needed. • An unexpected marriage of lowbrow humor and highbrow wit Discover long lost antique slang and curse words and learn how to incorporate them into modern conversation. A Pocket Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue is perfect for enlivening contemporary conversation with historical phrases; it includes a topical list of words for money, drunkenness, the amorous congress, male and female naughty bits, and so on. • A funny gift for wordplay, language, swearing, and insult fans, as well as fans of British humor and culture • Perfect for those who loved How to Speak Brit: The Quintessential Guide to the King's English, Cockney Slang, and Other Flummoxing British Phrases by Christopher J. Moore; Knickers in a Twist: A Dictionary of British Slang by Jonathan Bernstein; and The Official Dictionary of Sarcasm by James Napoli Review: Talk like an 18-century scoundrel—history, humor, and handy size in one little volume - I bought A Pocket Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue as a stocking-stuffer for a language-loving friend and ended up keeping it on my own desk (I reordered his copy). Two weeks later it’s my favorite five-minute coffee-break read. Authentic source material: First compiled in 1785 by militia captain Francis Grose, the book preserves the slang of London’s taverns, dockyards, and back-alleys—everything from “dresser of drabs” (pimp) to the still-popular “birthday suit.” How I’ve been using it • Conversation ice-breaker: Quoting a term like “elbow shaker” (a heavy drinker) at the pub gets instant laughs—and yes, people do ask what I’m reading. • Writing spice: I keep it beside my keyboard; sprinkling forgotten slang into emails or fiction drafts adds period flavor without tedious research. • Daily chuckle: Opening to a random page during lunch is a guaranteed mood lift—many definitions are delightfully blunt or bawdy. Heads-up (so you’re not surprised) 1. Brief definitions: Most entries are one-liners. If you want deep etymology, you’ll need a scholarly companion. 2. Tiny print for some eyes: The pocket format means smaller type; reading glasses helped my dad enjoy it comfortably. Pro tips • Pair with a modern slang book for a “then vs. now” coffee-table stack—guests love comparing centuries. • Use as a creative prompt: Pick a random word and challenge friends to write a short story around it; hilarity ensues. • Keep it in the car: Road-trip rest-stop boredom solved. * Bottom line * For the price of a couple lattes you get a portable time capsule of British wit that’s equal parts history lesson and party trick. Whether you’re a writer, Anglophile, tabletop gamer, or just someone who enjoys colorful language, A Pocket Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue will earn a permanent spot in your bag—and likely inspire more than a few “Helpful” clicks on your review. Highly recommend! Review: Awesome gift! - This is an awesome book, and a big laugh! I bought three for Christmas and sent them to my best buds. They loved it, texting me antique insults! That’s when I knew it was the perfect gift. 🤣