Revealed: The hilarious slang used in London 300 years ago

From ‘6,7’ to ‘vibe–coding’, new slang words and phrases seem to pop up on an almost daily basis. 

But it’s time to wind the clock back, as a 327–year–old dictionary reveals the slang used in London in the 17th century.

The glossary of terms, titled the ‘New Dictionary Of The Terms… Of The Canting Crew’ was published in 1699 to help stop naive visitors to London from getting mugged or even killed.

Author B.E Gent documented hundreds of slang words that street criminals used to communicate with.

The vast majority of the terms have long gone out of use – including ‘fuddlecups’, ‘catch–fart’ and ‘fat cull’. 

However, others – such as ‘banter’, ‘mumble’ and ‘rabble’ – have stood the test of time and are probably familiar to many people. 

So, do you know your ‘muck’ from your ‘baggage’? 

Scroll down to test your knowledge of 17th century London slang.

The rare copy of the dictionary is going up for sale on January 28 at Dominic Winter Auctioneers of Cirencester, where it’s expected to fetch between £3,000 and £4,000.

A spokesperson for the auction house said: ‘This is a first edition of the first comprehensive dictionary of slang, and a rich source for the colourful language of England’s low life and underworld.

‘This dictionary is perhaps the most important dictionary of slang ever printed, since it had such an influence on later compilations.

‘Little is known of the author, B.E. Gent, but from his dictionary one gathers that he was an antiquary.

‘Some of his words bear no relation to slang or cant, but merely gratify his whim for his curiosities.

‘It is an interesting piece on British social history.’

The cover of the dictionary states that it was ‘useful for all sorts of people, especially foreigners, to secure their money and preserve their lives’.

Meanwhile, the inside is filled with hundreds of unusual slang words and phrases, alongside their definitions. 

The dictionary explains that an ‘Adam–tiler’ is a pick–pocket’s camerade, while a ‘baggage’ is a whore. 

While it sounds rather rude, ‘cackling–farts’ are merely eggs, while a ‘fat cull’ is a rich man. 

Further through the dictionary, we learn that a ‘jenny’ is an instrument used by shoplifters. 

‘An instrument used to life up a grate and whip anything our of a shop–window,’ the listing explains. 

Meanwhile, one of the most comical phrases in the book reads: ‘We’ll go and suck our faces, but if they toute us, we’ll take rattle and brush.’

The author explains that this means: ‘Let’s go to drink and be merry, but if we be smelt by the people of the house, we must scower off.’ 

The news comes shortly after experts from language learning app Preply discovered a spike in once–forgotten slang. 

This includes ‘lass’, which has surged in popularity by 211 per cent, as well as ‘owt’ and ‘scran’.

‘Regional slang such as “gaff”, “owt” or “scran” is often specific to certain regions, holding a unique cultural significance and sense of identity to those who use them,’ explained Anna Pyshna, a spokesperson for Preply. 

‘While many of these terms were traditionally confined to local, regional communities, they are now starting to spread wider into everyday conversations.

‘As these phrases gain popularity, they’re becoming a fundamental part of modern conversation, embracing the diversity of British regional dialects.’