Tags

, , ,

The Slam-bang, Slick-a-dee Smart alec’s Dictionary of Slang, brought to you by The Cloud, courtesy of Chambers presents…

More choice words for the masses. The following selection of slang varies from the Victorian era to present day usage. I hope you enjoy them, and perhaps may even begin to employ them. *nods and the stagehand ‘opens the curtains’**. (**not meant to be rude slang, just words, get a grip. If you fancy).

(– My numbers have turned into bullet points!! This happens often. *mutters darkly)

  1. Granny-slappin’ good (American) – Something so good, it makes you want to slap your granny. Also meaning ‘delicious’. esme falls about laughing

  2. Sauce-box (Victorian) – The mouth. I believe this one speaks for itself. bows in the manner of a saucy minx

  3. Get a wiggle on (UK) -To get going. *Esme steps forward upon the stage, coughs and then adds –

” The waggle of a wiggle with a giggle meets the shadow of a swagger with a stagger.” She then pegs it.*

  1. Pegs it /Pegging it (UK/The Cloud) – to run off as fast as possible, usually after a display of unfortunate behaviour. (Also known as ‘legs it/legging it’.)

  • Smothering a Parrot (Victorian) – Drinking a glass of absinthe neat; named for the green color of the booze. Not the prettiest of Pollys, but a cracker all the same.

  • Afternoonified (Victorian) – A society word meaning smart. For instance – “This pair of spatz are not at all ‘afternoonified’ enough for me good sir” – “Ooooh get you!” 

  • Bit ‘o Pooh (Victorian). – Generally meaning flattery towards one during courtship which means little or nothing. These days it would be called ‘talking bollocks‘. Esme hears such talk a lot.

  • Batty-fang (Victorian) – An old London phrase meaning “to thrash thoroughly,” possibly from the French battre a fin. Also, Mina Harper’s pet name for Dracula*.
    (*The previous sentence might be a bit ‘o pooh).

  • Poking the Bear (UK/American) – Making a bad situation worse by irritating someone who is already rather angry. Not to be confused with ‘Bear Grylls’ who is simply irritating.

  • Not up to Dick (Victorian) – Not well. (Seems fair enough. One cannot always be up to dick of an afternoonified afternoon Hahahahaha.)

  • Collie shangles (Victorian) – Quarrels. A term from Queen Victoria’s journal, More Leaves, published in 1884: “At five minutes to eleven rode off with Beatrice, good Sharp going with us, and having occasional collie shangles (a Scottish word for quarrels or rows, but taken from fights between dogs) with collies when we came near cottages. *Esme puts a sign up upon the Cloud saying ‘No Collieshangling Allowed on the Grass’.

  • Gigglemug (Victorian) – An habitually smiling face. – (also known as a ‘Sherryface’).

    •  

     

    Certain elements of the above were pilfered from the following – A Dictionary of Victorian Slang (1909)