Regency Cant (oh yes, you can!)
I love cant. It’s deliciously amusing. Roughly defined as slang, cant was the language of the underworld, the rabble, the boxer, the thief. Despite its use by the lower echelons, Regency gentlemen of the highest rank took cant for their own and integrated it into their everyday speech.
Using it in mixed company, however, was not done. It was viewed as rude, ignorant, and unacceptable. No lady would dare to use such deplorable language, but you can bet your last ha’penny that they did indeed speak a bit of cant—outside the hearing of their parents, that is.
Using it in mixed company, however, was not done. It was viewed as rude, ignorant, and unacceptable. No lady would dare to use such deplorable language, but you can bet your last ha’penny that they did indeed speak a bit of cant—outside the hearing of their parents, that is.
Feeling bummed out, tired, or downright jolly? Why not say:
Blue-deviled / blue as megrim / mulligrubs: sad, depressed
Buffle headed: confused
Dicked in the nob: crazy, silly
Friday Faced: miserable looking
In a dudgeon: in a bad mood
In high ropes: in a great mood
Swallow one’s spleen: hold your tongue or curb your temper
Terrific: severe, like a headache. Doesn't mean "great" for another fifty+ years
Blue-deviled / blue as megrim / mulligrubs: sad, depressed
Buffle headed: confused
Dicked in the nob: crazy, silly
Friday Faced: miserable looking
In a dudgeon: in a bad mood
In high ropes: in a great mood
Swallow one’s spleen: hold your tongue or curb your temper
Terrific: severe, like a headache. Doesn't mean "great" for another fifty+ years
s there someone in your life deserving of a bit of Spanish coin (flattery)? Go ahead and tip over the butter-boat (pour on the compliments.) Try:
All the crack/Bang up to the knocker/Complete to a shade: well dressed
Bang-up cove: pleasant fellow
Bang up to the mark: on time
Diamond of the first water: beautiful woman, sparkler among society
Prime Article: beautiful woman
Right ‘un / Good ‘un: okay person
Stout: a synonym for "healthy"
Swell of the first stare / Pinkest of the pinks: fashionable man
Top of the trees: Someone of high esteem
All the crack/Bang up to the knocker/Complete to a shade: well dressed
Bang-up cove: pleasant fellow
Bang up to the mark: on time
Diamond of the first water: beautiful woman, sparkler among society
Prime Article: beautiful woman
Right ‘un / Good ‘un: okay person
Stout: a synonym for "healthy"
Swell of the first stare / Pinkest of the pinks: fashionable man
Top of the trees: Someone of high esteem
Looking for a bang-up-to-the-knocker (i.e. first rate) insult?
Banbury tales / bag of moonshine / Canterbury tales / faradiddles: lies or nonsense
Beneath my touch: not good enough
Bird-witted/ Fat-skulled / Mutton-headed: stupid
Bracket-faced: unattractive
Chawbacon: country yokel
Cutting shams / a wheedle: lying, ingratiating oneself through lying
Goosecap / widgeon: stupid person
High on the instep: proud, haughty
Hum / Fudge: false rumor
Loose in the haft: man without morals
Nice: Not exactly an insult, but it meant fussy or particular
Raffish: vulgar
Saucebox: impertinent person
Scapegrace: ne’er do well
Toad eater: flatterer
Vulgar or encroaching mushroom: pretentious person who is newly rich, i.e. sprung up into society overnight.
Wheyface: a person with no substance
Not Swimming in lard, well-breeched or well-inlaid (very wealthy)? Low on blunt / brass / gingerbread / juice / the rhino? Perhaps you can relate to these:
Bleed freely: lose or give money
Cheeseparing/Nipcheese: miserly
Dun territory: debt
Grease someone's fist: bribe them
Haven’t a sixpence to scratch with/ haven’t a feather to fly with / pockets to let / ne’er a face but his own (ie, face on a coin) / rolled up: broke
River Tick: standing debts
Sit on the Penniless bench: poverty-stricken
Vowels: IOU
Lost in love? Nobody puts it the way a Regency does:
Calf love / cream pot love: immature love
Dangling after: enamored of
Eligible parti: suitable marriage partner
Leg-shackled / Riveted / Tenant for life/ Caught in the Parson’s mousetrap: wed
Do the pretty: do what’s expected
Make an offer / Come up to scratch / toss the handkerchief: propose
Moon-eyed: besotted
Set your cap: have hopes for a man’s proposal
Smelling of April and May: in love
Tenant for life : married
Sitting in a restaurant near an elbow crooker who's had too much to drink? Cant can help you put a label to it (and remember, people didn't drink much water during the Regency, as it was often contaminated. Alcohol was de rigeur. Even children drank alcohol-spiked beverages, believe it or not!):
A trifle disguised / half-sprung: tipsy
Ape Drunk / drunk as a wheelbarrow: very drunk
Blue Ruin / Flash of lightning / Old Tom : gin
Bosky / foxed / jug-bitten: inebreiated
Dipping Deep: getting drunk
A trifle disguised / half-sprung: tipsy
Ape Drunk / drunk as a wheelbarrow: very drunk
Blue Ruin / Flash of lightning / Old Tom : gin
Bosky / foxed / jug-bitten: inebreiated
Dipping Deep: getting drunk