Whirlygigs and Thingumbobs

by Emily May

Last month I shared some of the Regency slang that was used to describe brothels, the people who frequented them, and the activities that went on in them. This month, I'd like to share some amusing Regency slang that has purely to do with men, their sexual activities, and their anatomy. As before, these terms are all taken from that marvellous resource, The 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue.


Let's start with some anatomical slang...


bawbles, nutmegs, tallywags, thingumbobs, twiddle-diddles, and whirlygigs -- were all words for ... yes, you guessed correctly: testicles!

the matrimonial peacemaker, Man Thomas, pego, silent flute, sugar stick, and whore pipe were all slang for (in the words of the Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue) a man's 'virile member'

a rantallion -- is a man whose 'shot pouch is longer than the barrel of his piece' [a lovely bit of euphemism!]



a fancy man, petticoat pensioner, or stallion -- was a man kept by a woman for 'secret services'

to be a back door usher, backgammon player, or gentleman of the back door -- to be a sodomite

to navigate the windward passage -- to be a sodomite

And to finish...

to fetch mettle -- the 'act of self-pollution' [mettle being Regency slang for semen]

 That's all from me this month. Happy reading everyone!