billingsgate
1billingsgate — 1670s, the kind of coarse, abusive language once used by women in the Billingsgate market on the River Thames below London Bridge. Billingsgate is the market where the fishwomen assemble to purchase fish; and where, in their dealings and disputes …
2Billingsgate — Bil lings*gate , n. 1. A market near the Billings gate in London, celebrated for fish and foul language. [1913 Webster] 2. Coarsely abusive, foul, or profane language; vituperation; ribaldry. [1913 Webster] …
3billingsgate — index profanity, revilement Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …
4billingsgate — scurrility, vituperation, *abuse, invective, obloquy …
5billingsgate — [bil′iŋz gāt΄, bil′iŋzgit] n. [after a London fish market, notorious for foul language] foul, vulgar, abusive talk …
6Billingsgate — infobox UK place official name= Ward of Billingsgate map type= Greater London country= England region= London london borough= City of London latitude= 51.50864 longitude= 0.08205 os grid reference= TQ332806 post town= LONDON postcode area= EC… …
7Billingsgate — This name has been variously used to designate : one of the City gates, a port or quay on the Thames, one of the principal City markets. It seems probable, and recent discoveries tend to confirm the view, that in early times the City was… …
8billingsgate — /bil ingz gayt / or, esp. Brit., / git/, n. coarsely or vulgarly abusive language. [1645 55; orig. the kind of speech often heard at Billingsgate, a London fish market at the gate of the same name] Syn. vituperation, vilification, invective,… …
9Billingsgate — foul language The language was once used by the women sellers of fish, rather than by the male porters, in the London market which was closed in 1982. According to Dryden , Parnassus spoke the cant of Billingsgate , and in modern use: …
10billingsgate — noun Etymology: Billingsgate, old gate and fish market, London, England Date: 1652 coarsely abusive language Synonyms: see abuse …
