Such Language! Part 33

 

More wonderfully wordful wackiness, courtesy of the 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (a copy of which can be downloaded from Project Gutenberg so that you can embark on your own wordy wanderings.

Blowsabella: A woman whosehair is dishevelled, and hanging about her face; a slattern. (My brothercalled me Blowsabella when we returned from our walk on the shore this morning;tomorrow, I shall wear a bucket over my head when we take our walk and it willserve him right.)

Whapper: A large man orwoman. (Uncle Ambrose is quite the whapper, but has a heart to match.)

Fogram: An old fogram; afusty old fellow. (Unlike his brother, however, Uncle James is the veriestold fogram.)

Hog Grubber: A mean, stingyfellow. (Based on bonnets Aunt Alice wears, I suspect Uncle James is also a dreadfulhog grubber.)

Spiflicate: To confound,silence, or dumbfound. (Poor Mama was utterly spiflicated when Mr. and Mrs. Awfflecrashed her dinner party and told her they were certain she’d forgotten to sendthem an invitation.)

Inching: Encroaching. (Idon’t think I’ve met a more inching family than them.)

Glimflashy: Angry, or in apassion. (Cant.)  (Papa was soglimflashy over their temerity that he told the butler to set a separate tablefor them in the corner of the dining room.)

Any new favorites here? I rather think 'spiflicate' should be more widely known and used, myself.