Regency Era Vocabulary

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Date:

Instructions: Step into the world of Jane Austen with the language of the British Regency period (1811-1820)

1.
In Regency England, what did 'a cut' mean in social terms?
A
A deliberate refusal to acknowledge someone socially
B
A haircut
C
A wound
D
A share of profits
2.
What was a 'curricle' in the Regency era?
A
A type of currency
B
A light two-wheeled carriage drawn by a pair of horses
C
A school syllabus
D
A dance step
3.
In Regency parlance, what was a 'bluestocking'?
A
A bruised leg
B
An intellectual or literary woman
C
A type of hosiery
D
A conservative politician
4.
What did 'to take a turn about the room' mean in Regency society?
A
To faint
B
To walk around the room, often for display or conversation
C
To rearrange furniture
D
To take a turn at a game
5.
In Regency slang, what was a 'dandy'?
A
A small knife
B
A type of sweet
C
Something good
D
A man excessively devoted to elegant fashion and style
6.
What was 'Almack's' in Regency-era London?
A
A bank
B
A men's club
C
An exclusive assembly room where high society danced and socialized
D
A hat shop
7.
In Regency vocabulary, what did 'sensibility' typically refer to?
A
Intelligence
B
Good manners
C
Common sense
D
Acute emotional sensitivity and feeling
8.
What was a 'reticule' in the Regency period?
A
A mathematical tool
B
A type of telescope
C
A shy person
D
A small handbag or purse carried by women
9.
In Regency England, what did it mean for a man to 'pay his addresses' to a woman?
A
To pay her debts
B
To send her mail
C
To give her directions
D
To court or woo her with marriage intentions
10.
What was a 'pelisse' in Regency fashion?
A
A fur muff
B
A long outer cloak or coat worn by women
C
A type of shoe
D
A type of hat
11.
In Regency slang, what did 'bang up to the mark' mean?
A
Hitting the target
B
Loud and noisy
C
Arriving on time
D
Excellent or up to standard
12.
What was a 'living' in Regency-era England?
A
A house
B
A church position with income, given to a clergyman
C
Being alive
D
A salary
13.
In Regency vocabulary, what was 'pin money'?
A
Money for sewing supplies
B
Loose change
C
Gambling money
D
A wife's personal allowance for small expenses
14.
What was a 'barouche' in the Regency era?
A
A type of dance
B
A four-wheeled horse-drawn carriage with a collapsible hood
C
A fancy hairstyle
D
A type of dessert
15.
In Regency-era usage, what did 'importunate' mean?
A
Very important
B
From another country
C
Persistent to the point of annoyance in making requests
D
Impossible to reach

Answer Key

Question 1

A. A deliberate refusal to acknowledge someone socially

Question 2

B. A light two-wheeled carriage drawn by a pair of horses

Question 3

B. An intellectual or literary woman

Question 4

B. To walk around the room, often for display or conversation

Question 5

D. A man excessively devoted to elegant fashion and style

Question 6

C. An exclusive assembly room where high society danced and socialized

Question 7

D. Acute emotional sensitivity and feeling

Question 8

D. A small handbag or purse carried by women

Question 9

D. To court or woo her with marriage intentions

Question 10

B. A long outer cloak or coat worn by women

Question 11

D. Excellent or up to standard

Question 12

B. A church position with income, given to a clergyman

Question 13

D. A wife's personal allowance for small expenses

Question 14

B. A four-wheeled horse-drawn carriage with a collapsible hood

Question 15

C. Persistent to the point of annoyance in making requests

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