bousing ken
See also: bousing-ken
English
Alternative forms
Noun
bousing ken (plural bousing kens)
- (obsolete, UK, thieves' cant) A pub; a public house; a tavern.
- 1607–10, Thomas Middleton, Thomas Dekker, The Roaring Girl, act 5, scene 1:
- My doxy stays for me in a bousing ken, brave captain.
- For more quotations using this term, see Citations:bousing ken.
Synonyms
- See Thesaurus:pub
Derived terms
References
- Albert Barrère and Charles G[odfrey] Leland, compilers and editors (1889–1890) “bousing ken”, in A Dictionary of Slang, Jargon & Cant […], volume I (A–K), Edinburgh: […] The Ballantyne Press, →OCLC, page 171.
- John S[tephen] Farmer, compiler (1890) “bousing ken”, in Slang and Its Analogues Past and Present. […], volume I, [London: […] Thomas Poulter and Sons] […], →OCLC, pages 308–309.