Slang, colloquialisms, idioms. These are the myriad vagaries of language, accenting and highlighting culture and subculture. These are the things that make word-play fun, and enhance your writing.

Below are 13 slang words from Mediaeval times for your enjoyment! Try using some in your own works! Example sentences courtesy of the Jericho crew.

1. Basta (v)

an exclamation of annoyance; enough, I’m done with this nonsense.

Basta! I don’t need to hear the intimate details!

2. Bully-rook (n)

a braggart cheater.

Basta! You bully-rook, I’m sick of hearing how you fleeced those elderly people out of their social security. Have  you no shame?

3. Cotton (v)

to like  or agree with

I don’t cotton that bully-rook’s methods, ya hear? I won’t have it around here, not at all

4. Doolally (adj)

crazy; out of one’s mind

I cotton it musta been the drugs as made him go all doolally an’ knife ‘is wife like that.

5. Fart catcher (n)

the manservant or attendant that walks behind their master or mistress

You’re plum doolally! Whadda ya want to be a fart catcher for? You’re better that.

6. Geck (n)

an object of scorn or derision

Jimmy’s right. Keep being a fart

8 catcher to that worthless lump and the men will see you a geck.

7. Hedge-born (adj)

to be of low birth

They were right, I knew. The others saw me as a geck, but I was hedge-born. I didn’t have the prospects they did.

8. Kicksy-wicksy (adj)

to be restless or ill at ease.

Batterby’s growing kicksy-wicksy. That man treats him ill. Hedge-born or no, not a person alive deserves that kind of treatment. Maybe now he’ll leave.

9. Ninnyhammer (n)

a fool or idiot.

Well no wonder he’s so kicksy-wicksy. That ninnyhammer of a master has no idea what’s the what. He expects gold from lead.

10. Sharked (v)

to grab up

That ninnyhammer. He’s going to lose the best thing he has. Batterby decides to leave finally, he’ll be sharked quick-like. He’s a valuable asset.

11. Toggs (n)

clothing items

Shark your toggs! We’re leaving right now. Go!

12. Troth-plight (n)

a betrothal

Gar, look at them fancy toggs, then. Ye off to yer troth-plight?

13. Wraw (adj)

grouchy, grumpy, snappish

No need to go all wraw on me. The troth-plight wasn’t my idea! Blame your mother for that.