bousing ken

See also: bousing-ken

English

Alternative forms

• bousing-ken, bouzing-ken, bouzing ken, bowsing ken, bowsing-ken

Noun

bousing ken (plural bousing kens)

1. (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

• boozing ken, boozing-ken

References

• Albert Barrère and Charles G[odfrey] Leland, compilers and editors (1889–1890) “bousing ken”, in A Dictionary of Slang, Jargon & Cant […], volumes 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.