Francis Grose

1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue Francis Grose

The ?1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue,? was written by Francis Grose (a British soldier) just after the American Revolution. The word "vulgar" means slang, though some of them are vulgar. This book was banned in military camps at the time. This book is hysterical, both educational and entertaining. It shows how normal people spoke over 200 years ago, and provides endless possibilities for insulting friends. It is an old dictionary of words that will "pitch kettle" (confound) people if you actually use them, and others are still around, like "to catch a crab" (to fall backwards by missing one's stroke in rowing). If you are into quirky dictionaries like this, then you'll enjoy it.