| Quote | Category | Chapter | Notes | Queries |
| tendre | period language | 1 | liking or affection | |
| give one the office | period language | 1 | assigned a task to one | reminded one? |
| pelter | period language | 1 | state of worked up emotion | |
| moonling | period language | 1 | ||
| revel-rout | period language | 1 | pranks and larks | |
| lucubrations | period language | 1 | Ponderous thought. Webster's definition: laborious work, study, or writing, especially that done late at night. | |
| worldly trumpery | period language | 1 | superficial things | |
| gently born female of tender years | period language | 2 | just out, ages 16-19 most likely | |
| consumption | period language | 2 | tuberculosis | |
| cast one's resources into a pool-dish | period language | 2 | share the work | |
| ramshackle | period language | 3 | irreverent of society's restrictions | |
| coxcomb | period language | 4 | Webster's: "A silly, vain, foppish fellow; dandy." Also "A cap topped with a notched strip of red cloth like a cock's comb, formerly worn by jesters." | |
| jobation | period language | 5 | reproof or scolding | |
| high fidgets | period language | 7 | ||
| flat | period language | 7 | As adjective: boring | |
| green girl | period language | 7 | one who has little experience | |
| peagoose | period language | 9 | silly person (usually a female) | |
| repairing lease | period language | 10 | rest and relaxation in a quiet place | |
| milkiness | period language | 13 | ||
| moulder | period language | 16 | From Partridge " A lumbering boxer, one who fights as if he were moulding clay." 1820-1900. Alverstoke is referred to as a good boxer, "not one of your moulders." | |
| handkerchiefs thrown to him, setting cap | period language | 17 | Attempting to attract, probably with long-term goal of marriage. Only used for females | Regency equivalent of approaching someone in a bar? |
| cross as crabs | period language | 17 | To be 'crabbed' is to be ill tempered and sour. Crabbing is to be particularly critical and mean minded. | |
| Dun territory | period language | 17 | From Joe Dunn a Baliff from the town of Lincoln who was so good and assiduous at his work collecting money owed. People were advised to 'dun' their debtors to regain what was owed. | |
| Beau Traps | period language | 17 | a Beau trap was either a loose stone that, when stood on, would squirt dirty on one's clean white stockings; OR a 'Sharper' who preyed on raw young country squires or ignorant fops. | |
| job-horses | period language | 17 | rented horses, so not very good horses. | |
| give one snuff | period language | 17 | to rebuke or scold. | |
| glumping | period language | 17 | ||
| true blue, and will never stain | period language | 17 | Faithful. From a toast given to Mrs Crewe - "True Blue and Mrs Crewe." In the late Seventeenth century the Whigs were known as 'Blues' and True Blue was associated most especially with Scottish Whigs and faithful ones. Later in the nineteenth century it became associated with the Tories. | |
| gibble-gabbling | period language | 17 | ||
| nuncheon | period language | 19 | ||
| vapours | period language | 19 | hysterics | |
| behind the fair | period language | 20 | ||
| curtain lectures | period language | 20 | Webster's: "A private lecture given by a wife to her husband: so called from the curtained beds in which such reproofs were conventionally given." This term is used by Jessamy to refer to what Frederica does not do, so it must have meant something more general than the above description. | |
| bumble-broth | period language | 20 | make a mull of things | |
| open the budget | period language | 22 | speak freely. From Anne Woodley: "Origin - Well I am not sure of the exact origin. Partridge gives the definition as 'Speaking freely', the 1811 dictionary gives the meaning as 'To open one's wallet'. They call a budget a wallet, and the definition of opening the budget is to notify one of taxes (ie funds) needed for the coming period. It harks back to the Parliamentary process of 'opening the budget' in which people are taxed for the coming year. It's supposition but could it could be that 'speaking freely' evolved from this because opening one's 'budget' to get funds might have meant one had to speak freely to get them - explaining oneself. The two dictionaries I have give the two meanings but neither acknowledges the other meaning." | Origin? |
| deedy | period language | 23 | Webster's 1913 dictionary: "industrious, active". Alverstoke claims he's "not yet very deedy" when dealing with Felix's illness. To me the reference sounds more like he's not very handy or accustomed to helping a sick person. | |
| widgeon | period language | 24 | unintelligent female | Only definition I could find refers to a species of duck. |
| blue-devilled | period language | 25 | depressed or unhappy | |
| whey-faced | period language | 26 | Webster's: "A pale or pallid face". In a word, unattractive. | Still in use? |
| bowled out | period language | 28 | Cricket term. According to Anne Woodley, means " to get the better of." However in the context, which is Charles Trevor seeing Charis and Endymion about to contract a clandestine marriage, it seems to mean more surprise or astonishment. | Is this still in use today with one of these two meanings? |