Waits (Grose 1811 Dictionary)

Waits

Musicians of the lower order, who in most towns play under the windows of the chief inhabitants at midnight, a short time before Christmas, for which they collect a christmas-box from house to house. They are said to derive their name of waits from being always in waiting to celebrate weddings and other joyous events happening within their district.

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

Wagtail * Wake

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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Wabler
To Waddle
Wag
Waggish
Wagtail
Waits
Wake
Walking Cornet
Walking Poulterer
Walking Stationer
Walking the Plank
Walking Up Against the Wall
Wall
To Wap
Wapper-eyed
Ware