billingsgate means A ward of the City of London, Greater London, England. It carries an Arena rating of 1749, earned across 31 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, billingsgate ranks #263 of 17,163 for Funniest Words, #360 of 17,132 for Most Betrayed by Its Sound, #920 of 17,127 for Most Vivid Words, #1,078 of 17,151 for The Improbable.
Why “billingsgate” is a great word
Profane, abusive, and coarsely eloquent language, or the act of using such language. From Billingsgate, a historic fish market in London, England, known for the coarse and abusive language used by its vendors; first recorded in this figurative sense in the mid-17th century. Unlike "obloquy," which suggests public, formal condemnation, or "invective," which denotes vehement abuse generally, billingsgate is a practiced art form of marketplace vulgarity, fluent and inventive in its filth. It is the hoarse, rhythmic cadence of insults traded over crates of glistening mackerel, the pungent vernacular as unrefined as the wares, the vivid, unexpected metaphor born of habit. It is foul language raised to fluency, a raw testament that eloquence need not be polite.
Etymology
From the London, England fishmarket Billingsgate: "Billingsgate is the market where the fishwomen assemble to purchase fish; and where, in their dealings and disputes they are somewhat apt to leave decency and good manners a little on the left hand." (Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, 1811).
name
- A ward of the City of London, Greater London, England.e.g.“And vppon fridaye the morowe after brought it vpp to Billynges gate in London” — 1569, C. R., The true discripcion of this marueilous straunge Fishe, whiche was taken on thursday was sennight, the .xvi. day of June, this present month, in the yeare of our Lord God. M.DLX.ix.:
noun
- Profane, abusive language; coarse words.e.g.“You wouldn't have believed the billingsgate which poured forth from that boy's mouth.”
verb
- To use profane, abusive language towards.e.g.“On the other hand, the Englishman has the satisfaction of Billingsgating to his heart's content the highest officials: they accept objurgation with spaniel fawning.” — 1905, Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, volume 177, page 99:
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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