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exhibition meal (Hobo slang) a handout eaten on the doorstep: the madam wants the neighbours to witness her generosity

flying pasty (c.1790) excrement wrapped in paper that is thrown over a neighbour’s wall

to have the key of the street (b.1881) of a person who has no house to go to at night, or is shut out from his own

HOUSEPROUD

Once you’ve settled in, though, you’re free to make what you like of the rooms …

piggery (UK college slang early 20C) a room in which one does just as one wishes and which is rarely cleaned

chambradeese (Scotland) the best bedroom

ruelle (Tudor–Stuart) the space in a bedroom between the bed and the wall

but and ben (Geordie) outside and inside (refers to a two-roomed house with an outer and inner room)

though you’re all too likely to become swamped in the details of domesticity:

flisk (Gloucestershire) a brush to remove cobwebs

izels (Lincolnshire) particles of soot floating about in a room, indicating that the chimney needs to be swept

beggar’s velvet (1847) downy particles which accumulate under furniture from the negligence of housemaids

winter-hedge (Yorkshire 18C) a clothes-horse (from the way a full clothes-horse ‘hedged off’ a portion of a room: summer washing was dried out of doors)

wemble (Lincolnshire) to invert a basin or saucepan on a shelf so that dust does not settle on the inside

poss (Shropshire) to splash up and down in the water, as washerwomen do when rinsing their clothes

just make sure you don’t take it so far that that you upset your cohabitants …

spannel (Sussex) to make dirty foot marks on a clean floor

heel (Gloucestershire) to upset a bucket

spang (Lincolnshire) to shut a door by flicking the handle sharply so that it slams without being held

HOUSEWARMING

With the place spick and span, perhaps it’s time to throw that party:

tin-kettling (New Zealand 1874) a house-warming custom whereby a newly wed couple were welcomed by friends and neighbours circling the marriage home banging on kerosene tins until provided with refreshments

cuddle puddle (New York slang 2002) a heap of exhausted ravers

buff-ball (1880) a party where everyone dances naked

THE THREE NIGHT RULE

A well-known proverb says that fish and guests go off after three nights, so if you ask people to stay for longer, make sure you have some way of getting rid of them if need be:

thwertnick (Old English law) entertaining a sheriff for three nights

agenhina (Saxon law) a guest at an inn who, after having stayed for three nights, was considered one of the family

sit eggs (US black slang 1970s) to overstay one’s welcome (from the image of a hen awaiting her chicks)

BATHTIME

Because, in the end, what could be nicer than closing the front door to all outsiders and taking the relaxing ablution of your choice:

offald (Yorkshire) tired and dirty, in need of a bath

muck-rawk (Yorkshire) a dirty line (e.g. on neck) showing the limit of where it has been washed

cowboy (US slang) a quick bath using little water (since cowboys bathed sparingly)

psychrolutist (1872) one who bathes in the open air daily throughout the winter

BEDDY-BYES

Before sinking into a well-deserved rest, wherever in the house the fancy takes you:

nid-nod (1787) to nod off

counting rivets (Royal Navy jargon) going to sleep: it refers to lying down and looking at the rivets above the bunk

hypnopompic (1901) the fuzzy state between being awake and asleep

to sleep in puppy’s parlour (Newfoundland 1771) to sleep on the floor in one’s clothes

bodkin (1638) a person wedged in between two others when there is proper room for two only (a bodkin was a small sharp dagger)

admiral’s watch (underworld slang 1905) a good night’s sleep

to drive one’s pigs to market (US 19C) to snore

WORD JOURNEYS

detect (15C from Latin) to unroof

climax (from Ancient Greek) a ladder; then (16C) in rhetoric, an ascending series of expressions

curfew (13C from Old French: couvre feu) to cover the fire

AW