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Bum Bailiff (Grose 1811 Dictionary)

Bum Bailiff

A sheriff’s officer, who arrests debtors; so called perhaps from following his prey, and being at their bums, or, as the vulgar phrase is, hard at their a-ses. Blackstone says, it is a corruption of bound bailiff, from their being obliged to give bond for their good behaviour.

Definition taken from The 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, originally by Francis Grose.

Bum Trap * Bum Brusher

Nearby

Nathan Bailey's 1736 Dictionary of canting and thieving slang

John S. Farmer's collection of canting songs and slang rhymes

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About

Francis Grose was independently wealthy, having inherited money from his father, a jeweller. Finding himself overspending, he published a number of books; his Provincial Glossary seems to have been the starting-point for the Vulgar Tongue reproduced here.

Bull’s Feather
To Bullock
Bully
Bully Back
Bully Cock
Bully Ruffians
Bully Trap
Bum
To Bum
Bum Trap
Bum Bailiff
Bum Brusher
Bum Boat
Bum Fodder
Bumfiddle
Bumbo
Bumkin
Bummed
Bumper
Bumping
Bun