Down (Grose 1811 Dictionary)

Down

Aware of a thing. Knowing it. There is no down. A cant phrase used by house-breakers to signify that the persons belonging to any house are not on their guard, or that they are fast asleep, and have not heard any noise to alarm them.

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

Down Hills * To Dowse

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.