The First English Dictionary of Slang, 1699

This dictionary was first published in 1699 with the name A NEW DICTIONARY OF THE TERMS ANCIENT AND MODERN OF THE CANTING CREW by B.E. Gent. It was written to help "all sorts of people (especially foreigners)" understand the words of "gypsies, beggars, thieves, cheats, etc." in order to "secure their money and preserve their lives".Well, it may not be helping me secure my money or my life but it is serving its stated secondary purpose of being "diverting and entertaining". It's decidedly fun to read, just to see what words from then have stuck with us, even becoming mainstream vocabulary, and what has faded into disuse. For example, I can't know for sure if anyone still calls a dog a "bufe" but I rather doubt it. Is a homely woman an "antidote" nowadays? To "fleece" as in to "rob" is still around today but using the term "coliander-seed" for money must have lost its usefulness. And if someone called me a "dim-mort" today, I'd probably take offense, but that was a "pretty wench" back in the day.So this is fun. It's not a book to settle down with and finish in one sitting, but it's quite "diverting and entertaining" in bits and pieces.

While the contents are very helpful if you are writing historical fiction, it is organized poorly. It's alphabetical, based on the 17th century word. It should be catagorized by subject, making it much more user-friendly, and to save time for the researcher.

this little book is full of 'cant', slang of centuries ago, some of which has survived to this day. the only limitation is that it focusses on the English island itself. I would have found a lot more use for it if it had included the seventeen century slang of the seafaring men. For the price, however, it is a valuable resource for the writer.

I got this book to aid me in writing a historical novel and it has worked quite well. My only complaint is that I wish it were better organized or had a glossary at the end.

This was a gift for my husband and it is an absolute delight. We own 1604 - Cawdrey's Table Alphabeticall which is also super fun to pour over. If you are obsessed with language and words, don't miss out on this book !

This is an informative and handy book, for those who like words and their usage. Every page, I see words I use every day meaning different things. It is history and etymology all in one. I can't put it down. Now, I have to go back and study this tome.

many words listed but he meaning and how used is not there

Great!

English is a language that has constantly added new and borrowed words. It has also changed in its style of phrasing prepositions and other words have shifted their meanings a little or a lot. This book helps to recovery phrasing that a simple dictionary doesn't usually.

A fascinating glimpse into the past.

Very handy resource book for anyone writing about the 17th century. Many of the slang terms are similar to what is used today.