Mary Barton

Mary Barton Glossary

alibi

a defense in which an accused criminal attempts to prove that his or her location was elsewhere than the crime scene

at after

common Lancashire phrase, meaning after

bairn

a child

Chartism

working-class movement in Britain from 1838-1848, striving for political and labor reform

clem

to suffer from extreme hunger, starve in Lancashire dialect

Combination Acts

British acts in 1799 and 1800 that made trade unions illegal

Courts of Assize

periodic criminal justice courts held in England and Wales

dateless

crazed in Lancashire dialect

delilah

a woman who betrays her lover, alluding to Samson's mistress who betrayed him by cutting off his hair, the source of his strength

Dives and Lazarus

Biblical parable that contrasts the separation between the blessed poor man in heaven and the miserable rich man in hell

fain

inclined or willing; compelled

frabbit

irritated, peevish, short-tempered in Lancashire dialect

hussy

a saucy or impudent girl; promiscuous and immoral woman

New Bailey

19th century prison in Manchester

nobbut

none but; only, in dialect

opium

hallucinogenic drug derived from the opium poppy, popularly used in Britain for medicinal and pain-killing purposes

Ruth to Naomi

Biblical allusion to Ruth who would not desert her mother-in-law Naomi after the death of Naomi's husband and sons

spinning-jennies

spinning machines invented in the 18th century that could wind yarn onto more than one spindle - a major development of the Industrial Revolution which put weavers out of work

street-walker

alternate term for a prostitute

suborned witness

witness who is induced by bribery to commit perjury in a court of law

subpoena

a formal document ordering an individual to appear as a witness in a court of law

Trades' Union

organization of laborers striving for common goals such as increased pay and better working conditions, legalized in England in 1825 after the repeal of the Combination Acts

whistle down the wind

colloquial expression meaning to send away or abandon

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