July 2010
Victorian Heterodox, Slang or Phrase of the Day
Back-hairing (Street).
Feminine fighting, in which the occipital locks suffer severely.
His Honor said no doubt there had been a great deal of provocation, but the rule was when a woman had her back hair pulled down and her face scratched, she back-haired and scratched in return.
- Passing English of the Victorian era - James Redding Ware (1909)
Victorian Heterodox, Slang or Phrase of the Day
Argol-bargol.
To have a row. May be argue turned into argol, from the old term ‘argil’, corrupted from ‘ergo’. The ‘bargol’ is a rhymed invention following a common habit. The whole term, however, is pervaded apparently by depreciation: —‘Well—well—d’yer want ter argol-bargol?
- Passing English of the Victorian era - James...
Victorian Heterodox, Slang or Phrase of the Day
‘After you with the push’ (Peoples’)
Said, with satirical mock politeness, in the streets to any one who has roughly made his way past the speaker, and ‘smudged’ him.
- Passing English of the Victorian era - James Redding Ware (1909)
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