Victorian Trash Talk
Q.
Victorians were nothing if not colourful with their slang. A sampling?
.
.
A.
Here’s a few gems from James Redding Ware’s 1909 ‘Passing English of the Victorian Era’, with definitions tweaked in our own words …
.
Barber’s cat
A man who is thin
Born a bit tired
Lazy
Buniony
Lumpen. Misshapen and bumpy, like a foot distorted with a bunion
Eats vinegar with a fork
Someone who is harsh, biting, entirely sharp of tongue
Everything is nice in your garden
Ok. Calm down. We get it. You and your things are all that. Everything is nice in your garden.
Fuss and feathers
Pretentious
Got the shutters up
Curt. Closed off
Lend us your breath to kill Jumbo
Time for some mouthwash
Robustious
Arrogant. Self-important
Tea in a mug
A sign of bad breeding 🤫
Thinks he holds it
He’s vain
Totty all colours
Someone who has just way too many colours in their outfit
Won’t take off his coat
A coward
You make me tired
I find you boring
You’re off the grass
No chance, buddy
.
Header Art: John Singer Sargent. Portrait of Lady Agnew of Lochnaw. 1892
