Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue
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The Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue dates from 1811 and this is probably the only full, uncensored and searchable version of this dictionary on the internet. All the original crudities have been restored and it offers an interesting perspective on Common English from the time of the Regency and Jane Austen.

Select a letter or type a word and click Find. Searches are automatically wild-carded and clicking on words in the first column will look for all occurrences of that word, or related word.

Example:You click A and one of the results is ARSE. If you now click on ARSE the full list of related content will be displayed.

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Entries releated to PAW

 

CAT'S PAW  To be made a cat's paw of; to be made a tool or instrument to accomplish the purpose of another: an allusion to the story of a monkey, who made use of a cat's paw to scratch a roasted chesnut out of the fire.
 
CAUDGE-PAWED  Left-handed.
 
CAW-HANDED, or CAW-PAWED  Awkward, not dextrous, ready, or nimble.
 
DIPT  Pawned or mortgaged.
 
FENCE  To pawn or sell to a receiver of stolen goods. The kiddey fenced his thimble for three quids; the young fellow pawned his watch for three guineas. To fence invariably means to pawn or sell goods to a receiver.
 
FLASH PANNEYS  Houses to which thieves and prostitutes resort. Next for his favourite MOT (Girl) the KIDDEY (Youth) looks about, And if she's in a FLASH PANNEY (Brothel) he swears he'll have her out; So he FENCES (Pawns) all his TOGS (Cloathes) to buy her DUDS, (Wearing Apparel) and then He FRISKS (Robs) his master's LOB (Till) to take her from the bawdy KEN (House).
 
FOREFOOT, or PAW  Give us your fore foot; give us your hand.
 
FOX'S PAW  The vulgar pronunciation of the French words faux pas. He made a confounded fox's paw.
 
HOT STOMACH  He has so hot a stomach, that he burns all the clothes off his back; said of one who pawns his clothes to purchase liquor.
 
LAID ON THE SHELF, or LAID UP IN LAVENDER  Pawned.
 
LAVENDER  Laid up in lavender; pawned.
 
MASTER OF THE WARDROBE  One who pawns his clothes to purchase liquor.
 
MINE UNCLE'S  A pawnbroker's shop; also a necessary house. Carried to my uncle's; pawned. New-married men are also said to go to their uncle's, when they leave their wives soon after the honey moon.
 
PAW  A hand or foot; look at his dirty paws. Fore paw; the hand. Hind paw; the foot. To paw; to touch or handle clumsily.
 
PAW PAW TRICKS  Naughty tricks: an expression used by nurses, etc. to children.
 
PONTIUS PILATE  A pawnbroker. Pontius Pilate's guards, the first regiment of foot, or Royal Scots: so intitled from their supposed great antiquity. Pontius Pilate's counsellor; one who like him can say, Non invenio causam, I can find no cause. Also (Cambridge) a Mr. Shepherd of Trinity College; who disputing with a brother parson on the comparative rapidity with which they read the liturgy, offered to give him as far as Pontius Pilate in the Belief.
 
POPS  Pistols. Popshop: a pawnbroker's shop. To pop; to pawn: also to shoot. I popped my tatler; I pawned my watch. I popt the cull; I shot the man. His means are two pops and a galloper; that is, he is a highwayman.
 
PROPERTY  To make a property of any one; to make him a conveniency, tool, or cat's paw; to use him as one's own.
 
SHELF  On the shelf, i.e. pawned.
 
SPOUTED  Pawned.
 
TARPAWLIN  A coarse cloth tarred over: also, figuratively, a sailor.
 
TOOL  The instrument of any person or faction, a cat's paw. See CATS PAW.
 
TWO TO ONE SHOP  A pawnbroker's: alluding to the three blue balls, the sign of that trade: or perhaps to its being two to one that the goods pledged are never redeemed.
 
UNCLE  Mine uncle's; a necessary house. He is gone to visit his uncle; saying of one who leaves his wife soon after marriage. It likewise means a pawnbroker's: goods pawned are frequently said to be at mine uncle's, or laid up in lavender.
 
VAMP  To pawn any thing. I'll vamp it, and tip you the cole: I'll pawn it, and give you the money. Also to refit, new dress, or rub up old hats, shoes or other wearing apparel; likewise to put new feet to old boots. Applied more particularly to a quack bookseller.