Dirty Words

I'm sure all my readers know the stereotype about how tragic it could be to offend a Victorian's sensibilities, but that they were a lot dirtier than we give them credit for. Yet, when writing historical fiction, which I'm doing, I search and search for the language to describe the things they were obsessed with, but ought not discuss.

It turns out there's an awful lot of language they used, so I'm compiling here a glossary or thesaurus of Victorian dirty words - strictly for use in literary endeavours!

Lady parts: cock alley, cock lane, crinkum-crankum, cunny, dumb glutton, grinder, fruitful vine, madge, Miss or Lady Laycock, money ('Careful or you'll show us your money'), muff, notch, old hat (it was felt after all), one's commodity, quim.

Gentleman parts: arbor vitae, cock, cock stand, cods, dildo, doodle, gaying instrument, john, johnson, john thomas, lobcock, Nebuchadnezzar, pego, plug-tail, samson, tackle, tickle tail, whore-pipe, willy.

Some other fun words were: gamahuching or minetting (oral sex), lickerish (aroused), and a swill tub (a drunk).

Magda Knight provides a pretty extensive glossary of other terms too, which you can find here. Also, check out my post on cucumber sandwiches!

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