Regency phrase guide

by charminglygrouped

Summary:

This is a reference guide intended to help writers of Regency-era stories by providing a quick place to check whether a certain phrase was in use in the era, and if so, how it was used. The earliest attestation dates of phrases that postdate the Regency era might also make this guide useful to writers of neo-Victorian fiction.

Notes:

• Words and phrases in plain text are attested many times in English-language texts in the years 1800 - 1820, unless specifically noted as "rare" (fewer than 5 uses). Those in bold are those I was unable to find any instance of in print before 1820. Those in italics are out of use or notably old-fashioned by the 1800s. Where words or phrases appear to have come into use sometime during the years 1800 - 1820, this is specially noted as "not before [year]."
• Dates pre-1820 are not the earliest instance of the phrase, but the date of the specific example given.
• Post-1820 dates represent the earliest instance of the usage that I could find.
• Date ranges without a source link are taken from etymonline.
• All uses are from texts published in England unless otherwise stated.
• Austen’s novels are cited as S&S; P&P; MP; E; NA; P
• I have tried to give more than one example in the case where a phrase may be followed by multiple prepositions or parts of speech.
• Information in this guide can only tell you whether or not I could find a given word or phrase represented in print by a certain date. It does not tell you when a word or phrase was used in speech, and doesn’t always note what tone or register the phrase is in (e.g. casual, formal, poetic, etc.). Look at the examples and use your best judgement.
• A phrase may be under a different letter than you expect. Click "entire work" and use cntl+f to search for a keyword.
• Please leave comments with corrections or requests. This guide is a starting point that I hope to expand considerably.
• Searching was carried out on archive.org using the following template: https://archive.org/search?query="FIRSTWORD+SECONDWORD+THIRDWORD"&sin=TXT&sort=-date&and%5B%5D=year%3A%5B1800+TO+1820%5D

Chapter 1: A

• "a bit of a," as in "kind of a"; "to a slight degree"
  • "'Can't you help me out, Ellen?—you are a bit of a scholard'"; 1802
• "actually," as in "right now"
  • "'Madame de St. Hermine actually fills the post about the person of Albert, which Mrs. Selforth previously occupied'"; 1808
• "actually," as in "really"
  • "Frank Churchill, with Harriet leaning on his arm—actually Harriet!"; E
• "Adam's apple," as in "protuberance of the throat"
  • "Neck-laces and ribbands, likewiſe, are generally tied ſo cloſe, as to preſs with violence on that ſuppoſed deformity of the throat, vulgarly called the Adam’s apple"; 1809
• "absent-minded," as in "prone to not paying attention to what is passing"
  • "The absent-minded man is perhaps, above all other members of society, […] the most disagreeable. For whatever may be the subject of discussion […] On him, alas! it all avails nothing"; 1810
• "account for," as in "explain"
  • "'I have not been at all able to account for the honour of seeing you here'"; P&P
• "address," as in "manner of addressing people"
  • "she appeared nothing more than a little proud-looking woman of uncordial address"; S&S
• "address," as in "skill in addressing people"
  • "Miss Steele, with yet greater address, gave it, as fast as she could, in favour of each"; S&S
  • "Elizabeth [...] had to meditate upon Charlotte's [...] address in guiding, and composure in bearing with, her husband"; P&P

• "a-flutter," as in "fluttering," or "in a state of tremulous excitement"; 1830
  • Instead, consider: "all of a flutter"; 1809

• "against," as in "in preparation for"
  • "'I came here to-day intending to rehearse it with Edmund—by ourselves—against the evening'"; MP
  • "Then she could gradually rise up to the genuine satisfaction of having a partner, a voluntary partner, secured against the dancing began"; MP
  • "He now led the way to an elegant parlour, where he had prepared a repast against their arrival"; 1802
• “a good deal,” as in “a large amount”; "to a great extent"
  • "But papas and mammas, and brothers and intimate friends, are a good deal gone by, to most of the frequenters of Bath"; NA
  • "I have known a good deal of the profession; and besides their liberality, they are so neat and careful in all their ways!"; P
  • "she had already imbibed a good deal of Marianne’s romance, without having much of her sense"; S&S

• "agreeable," as in "amenable"
  • “‘if you are agreeable to it, Sir, they would come up themselves and have every thing settled between ourselves and you’”; 1800
  • "'What say you, my hearty cock; if you are agreeable, play on, and mind your hits'"; 1816

• “agreed-upon” as an adjective; 1833
• "all in a flutter," as in "in a state of tremulous excitement or anxiety"
  • "she blushed, and with spirits all in a flutter [...] hastened to the drawing room"; 1804
• "all right," as in "well"; "okay"
  • "dancing, and a hand at cards, now and then, were all right"; 1812 USA
  • "When any of his christian attendants asked him how he was; he would answer, 'Very bad, but it is all right'"; 1812
• "all to pieces," as in "in poor shape"
  • "'Fifty thousand pounds! and by all accounts it won't come before it's wanted; for they say he is all to pieces'"; S&S (Mrs. Jennings)
  • "'he was dead-lame, [...] and the horse, in our comprehensive phrase, all to pieces"; 1803

• “air out,” as in “discuss openly”; 1908
• "anon," as in "very soon"
  • "The kingdom of Poland is re-established under the sanction and patronage of the emperor of the French. The act of confederation shall appear anon"; 1812
• “anything of the kind”
  • “I venture to pit the article against any thing of the kind that ever appeared in this or in any other country”; 1805
  • "'I never heard any thing of the kind hinted at before, I assure you,' said Elinor"; S&S
• "apprehend," as in "fear"
  • "'But I would not alarm you too much. Donavan says there is nothing materially to be apprehended'"; S&S 
  • “'I ask no more: allow me the felicity of occasionally conversing with you, and apprehend from me neither importunities nor complaints'”; 1808
  • "'They agree with me in apprehending that this false step in one daughter will be injurious to the fortunes of all the others'"; P&P
• "argument," as in "reasons given with the aim of persuading others that an action or idea is right or wrong"
  • "if any difference appeared, [...] it lasted no longer than till the force of her arguments and the brightness of her eyes could be displayed"; S&S
  • "...which he trusted would be an unanswerable argument with his amiable Charlotte"; P&P
• "argument," as in "heated or angry exchange of differing views"; "row"
  
  • "The boy protested that she should not; she continued to declare that she would, and the argument ended only with the visit"; P&P
• "as best as," as in "as well as"
  • Rare. I found one example:
  • "But we are not going to be disheartened, we are going to manage ourselves as best as we can to shape our destiny"; 1807
• “as far as,” as in “to the extent that”
  • "everything relative to their return was arranged as far as it could be"; S&S
  • “to deduce some conclusions from them, which, as far as I knew, were novel”; 1807
  • “This is all matter of opinion, as far as relates to the best interests of His Majesty’s dominions”; 1812
  • “…the strength of the enemy, as far as I could judge of it…”; 1812
• "as soon as possible"
  • "the attacks [...] were things which ought to have been forgotten as soon as possible"; 1820
• “at a loss,” as in “unsure what to say or do”
  • “I am, for my part, wholly at a loss to discover any reason for supposing, that, if Napoleon gets out of this difficulty, he will have sunk in the estimation of his soldiers”; 1812
  • “The author seems for some time at a loss which to abuse most, the duke or the king”; 1812
  • "'At Marlborough!' cried Elinor, more and more at a loss to understand what he would be at"; S&S
• "at a loss for words," as in "unable to find appropriate words for a situation"
  • "we are at a loss for words to express our astonishment"; 1801
  • "I feel myself at a loss for words to do justice to the officers and crew of the Medusa"; 1806
  • "His voice faltered; his color changed; and he seemed totally at a loss for words"; 1807
• "at any rate," as in "whatever happens"
  • "'At any rate I shall expect you to-morrow'"; S&S
  • "he was by no means the only partner who could satisfy them, and a ball was, at any rate, a ball"; P&P
• “at arm’s length” (figurative), as in "at an emotional distance"
  • “so is it necessary for a man who is to mix in the world to […] be able to keep the impertinent at arm’s length”; 1808
  • Also used literally: “a kitten, which one grasped at arm's length”; 1810
• "at a stretch," as in "at one time"
  • "he rode one hundred and fifty miles at a stretch without stopping"; 1801
  • "that very same person, who is to be heard bawling, for hours, at a stretch, every Sunday night"; 1803
• “at ease,” as in “comfortable, relaxed”
  • "Nor did he seem much more at ease: when he spoke, his accent had none of its usual sedateness"; P&P
  • “The Brazils are stated not to be perfectly at ease: European manners may not suit completely the Brazilians”; 1810
• "at every turn," as in "constantly"
  • "I admire his goodneſs to a ſet of people, who are at every turn murmuring at, and affronting him for his management of the weather"; 1801
• "at fault," as in "to blame"; "incorrect"
  • "My judgement may be at fault in this reſpect"; 1806
  • "the Commissioners [...] are altogether at fault in their valuation of the society's assets and liabilities"; 1806
  • See also "in fault."
• "at long last," as in "at last"; "finally"; 1822 India; 1826 England; 1833 USA
• to be "at pains," as in "to expend considerable effort"
  • "Oh! the pains I have been at to dispel those gloomy ideas, and give him cheerfuller views!"; E
  • "Who had been at pains to give Harriet notions of self-consequence but herself?"; E
  • "the private intelligence which he was at some pains to procure"; NA
  • "And sitting down by her, was at great pains to overcome her shame in being so surprised"; MP
  • See also "take pains"; "spare no pains."
• "at random," as in "randomly"
  • "she was obliged to pause before she answered, and at last obliged to answer at random, before she could at all recollect what letter it was which they were so anxious for"; E
  • "Henry talked at random, without sense or connection"; NA
  • "I do not deny but there are cases which require bleeding—yet I caution you against doing it at random"; 1815
• "at the end of the day," as in "when all is said and done"; 1920
• "at this rate," as in "if things continue as they are going now"
  • "'At this rate you will soon reform everybody at Mansfield and Thornton Lacey'"; MP
  • "'have not you finished it yet? you would not earn a very good livelihood as a working silversmith at this rate'"; E
• "awful," as in "inspiring awe, reverence, or dread"
  • "'I declare I do not know a more awful object than Darcy, on particular occasions, and in particular places'"; P&P
  • "She had heard nothing of Lady Catherine that spoke her awful from any extraordinary talents or miraculous virtue"; P&P
  • "Lady Bertram, [...] by the mere aid of a good-humoured smile, became immediately the less awful character of the two"; MP
• "awful," as in "full of awe, reverence, or dread"
  • "'Of one thing, my dear sister,' kindly taking her hand and speaking in an awful whisper, 'I may assure you'"; S&S
• "awful," as in "extremely disagreeable"
  • Not before 1809.
• "a word to the wise is enough," as in "wise people will profit from slight advice"
  • "'Now I say, my dear, in our case, for lady, read — mum! a word to the wise"; E
  • "a word to the wise—many things happen between the cup and the lip! Take a good thing when it is offered you"; 1811
  • "a word is enough to the wise"; 1808