A Regency Era Lexicon II (D-F)

Regency Research

For well over twenty years since I first started my infatuation with the Regency Era, I have maintained a lexicon to help me decipher Georgette Heyer (follow the link to Frederica, my favorite of her books), and others. Then as I began to write in the genre in the years 2000, I put more emphasis on it.

I have seen a few others on the web, but I have not seen any as complete as the one maintained at Regency Assembly Press that I have contributed to.

With the emphasis that has been placed recently on Research there, with not only the Lexicon, but the Timelines, lives of the Prime Ministers, Dance Instruction and Regency Era Money, it is a growing resource for all Regency readers and writers. I urge everyone to have a look as it continues to grow.

I also provide here the next few letters of the alphabet to entice you to visit that page. Or even bookmark it for when you need to look up a particular Regency term.

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Damned Hum–False rumor, lie, trick etc.
Damned Low Water With Me–Have no money, be in debt.
Dandy–A gentleman who is fastidious about his appearance, especially his clothing. He is not, as is often believed, a flashy or even flamboyant dresser, as was his 18th century predecessor, the Macaroni. George “Beau” Brummell epitomized the Dandy. He was concerned with perfect tailoring and fabrics, cleanliness, and simplicity of dress. He believed that good fashion should be understated and elegant, not eye-catching.
Dangling After–Hanging about, enamored of.
Darken One’s Daylights–To give a black eye.
Demi-Monde–Literally “half world”; a class outside of proper Society. Generally used to refer to those of questionable reputation.
Demimonde, Demimondaine–A demimondaine is woman of who gives sexual favors in exchange for payment; a mistress or courtesan. The demimonde refers to this class of women. From the French literally meaning half world, or underworld.
Derby–The major horse race in England, held at Epsom Downs in late May or early June. Pronounced “Darby.”
Dernier Cri–The latest thing; the newest fashion. From the French meaning “the last word.”
Despatches–Report usually from a senior commander, usually of an army, to his superiors, detailing the conduct of military operations.
Diamond Of The First Water–A very beautiful young woman. The phrase comes from a technical term used to describe diamonds. The degree of brilliance in a diamond is called its “water”, so a “diamond of the first water” is an exceptionally fine diamond.
Dibs Not In Tune–To be in poor financial state.
Dicked In The Nob–Crazy.
Dipping Rather Deep–Drinking quite heavily.
Disguised–Inebriated, drunk.
Dispatchers–Loaded dice with two sets of 4, 5 and 6 on them. Able to dispatch a man’s money easily.
Displays To Advantage–Fights well – (boxing cant.)
Doing It Much Too Brown–Overdoing it so that it is not credible.
Domino–A short hooded cloak usually worn with a mask at masquerades. It was worn over evening attire by both men and women.
Done To A Cow’s Thumb–Fatigued to the point of illness/fainting.
Double Sovereign–2 pounds, (approx $4000).
Dowager–The widow of a peer, eg the Dowager Countess of Somewhere. The term was not added to a woman’s title unless and until the new holder of the title married. For example, if the new Earl of Somewhere, the son of the late earl, is a young man when he inherits the title and has no wife, his mother continues to be styled Countess of Somewhere. When he married, his wife takes that title and his mother become the Dowager Countess. The term is also used informally, and disparagingly, to refer to an older woman of the upper classes.
Dower House–A relatively small house on an estate to which the dowager would retire when the new heir took up residence.
Downhills–Loaded dice that roll low numbers.
Draw Someone’s Cork–Punch in the nose and cause to bleed.
Drawing The Bustle Too Freely–Spending too much money.
Driving terms:–At home to a peg, Driving to the inch, Featheredge a corner, First-rate fiddler, Go-by, Pickaxe, Randem-tandem, Springing, Unicorn.
Driving to the inch–Driving term, the best type of driving.
Drunk As A Wheelbarrow –Very drunk.
Dudgeon–Bad mood.
Duenna–Chaperone. From the Spanish.
Dun Territory–In debt. The tradition is that it refers to Joe Dun, a famous bailiff of Lincoln in the reign of Henry VII, who was famous for his skill at collecting debts. Also possibly from the Anglo-Saxon “dunan” meaning din or clamor.
Eaten Hull Cheese–Drunk.
Elbow-Crooker–Drinker.
Entail–An inheritance of real property which cannot be sold by the owner but which passes by law to the owner’s heir upon his death. The purpose of an entail was to keep the land of a family intact in the main line of succession. The heir to an entailed estate could not sell the land, or bequeath it to anyone but his direct heir. Some entails were tied to a title and were defined in the original letters patent granting the title. The complications arising from entails were an important factor in the life of many of the upper classes, leaving many individuals wealthy in land but still heavily in debt.
Facings–Material of a different color that shows when the cuffs and collar are folded over. In the military, different colored facings implied different regiments.
Fagged To Death–Exhausted, tired.
Fair Gutfounded–Very hungry.
Fairly Flush In The Pockets–Quite rich.
Faradiddle–Variation of “taradiddle” – a falsehood or lie.
Faro–A card game in which players bet on the order that cards will appear when dealt from the bottom of the deck.
Farthing–1/4th of a penny
Featheredge a corner–Driving term, turn a sharp bend, or in a small space.
Fichu–A length of fabric, usually triangular, worn around the neck and shoulders. Sometimes tucked inside the neckline of the bodice, sometimes crossed over the bodice.
Fiddle–6 pence, (approx $50).
Fiend Seize It–Damn it.
Find Oneself On The Rocks–To have no money, be in debt.
Find Self At A Stand–To have no money.
First rate fiddler–Driving term, best type of driver.
Fit Of The Blue-Devils–Depressed.
Flash Of Lightning–Gin.
Flat–Person, able to be tricked.
Fleet Prison, Fleet Marriages–Fleet Prison was a prison for debtors. Fleet marriages were clandestine marriages that were performed at the prison without the need for licenses or banns during the 17th and 18th centuries. The practice was ended with the Marriage Act of 1753.
Florin–2 shillings, (approx $200).
Flounce–An ornamental row of decorative trim at the edge of a skirt.
Fly A Kite–Raise money.
Fly To The Time Of Day–Wise to the ways of the world.
Flying One’s Colours–Blushing.
Foolscap–Writing paper. The term refers to the size of the paper (17 by 13½ inches, which was typically folded, and sometimes cut, in half ) and not the quality or weight. The standard foolscap size was in use since the 15th century, and the name derives from the watermark in the shape of a jester’s hat that was once used to identify it.
Footpads–Thieves in the streets, muggers.
Fop–A gentleman who dresses in excessively elaborate clothes and has affected manners.
Four Horse Club–Also the Four-in-Hand Club, Barouche Club, the Whip Club. For excellent carriage drivers, there was a uniform; A drab coat that reached to the ankles with three tiers of pockets and mother of pearl buttons as large as five shilling pieces. The waistcoat was blue with yellow stripes an inch wide, the breeches of plush with strings and rosettes to each knee. It was fashionable that the hat should be 3 1/2 inches deep in the crown. Members also were to have barouches should be yellow bodied with ‘dickies’, the horses should be Bays, with rosettes at their heads and the harnesses should be silver-mounted.
Four-In-Hand–Driving a carriage pulled by four horses, an exercise requiring skill. The Four-in-Hand Club was a notable club for gentlemen who were excellent drivers.
Foxed–Inebriated, drunk.
Frank–A Member of Parliament, including peers in the House of Lords, could frank letters — mail them free of charge — by affixing his personal seal along with the word “frank” or “free.” This practice continued until 1840, when cheap postal rates were introduced.
Free-Traders–Smugglers.
Freebooters–A person who robs and plunderers, especially pirates and smugglers. From the Dutch “vrijbuiter” and the German “freibeuter,” meaning to rove freely.
French Leave–To take French leave is to go off without taking leave of the company: a saying frequently applied to persons who have run away from their creditors.The allusion is to the French soldiers, who in their invasions take what they require, and never wait to ask permission of the owners or pay any price for what they take.
Fribble–An effeminate fop; a name borrowed from a celebrated character of that kind, in the play Miss in her Teens (1746) by David Garrick. 
Friday-Faced–A dismal countenance. Friday was a day of abstinence.
Fulhams–Load dice used in gambling, first made in the town of Fulham.
Full Of Juice–Very rich.
Funds–Government securities that could be purchased by investors. See also consols.
Fustian–Bombast; made up of pompous, high-sounding language. Also a coarse, heavy cloth made of cotton and flax.
Fustian Nonsense–Rubbish.