This site is in danger of going away; please consider the Donate link above...

Ruffian (Grose 1811 Dictionary)

Ruffian

The devil. CANT.—May the ruffian nab the cuffin queer, and let the harmanbeck trine with his kinchins about his colquarren; may the Devil take the justice, and let the constable be hanged with his children about his neck. The ruffian cly thee; the Devil take thee. Ruffian cook ruffian, who scalded the Devil in his feathers; a saying of a bad cook. Ruffian sometimes also means, a justice.

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

Ruff * Ruffles

Nearby

Nathan Bailey's 1736 Dictionary of canting and thieving slang

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

Buy a modern reprint of this book from Amazon CA; US;

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.

Rout
Row
Row-1
Rowland
Royal Scamps
Royal Stag Society
Royster
To Rub
Ruby Faced
Ruff
Ruffian
Ruffles
Rufflers
Ruffmans
Rug
Rug-1
Rum
Rum Beck
Rum Bite
Rum Bleating Cheat
Rum Blowen