Saturday, August 28, 2010

BILLINGSGATE

billingsgate:

- coarsely abusive language
- profane language

Example: The campaigns of the two Roosevelts were colorful and gave the press plenty of material but, generally speaking, deft humor seems to have replaced outright billingsgate. [Reference: George E. Reedy, "When Vilification Was in Flower", New York Times , July 15, 1984]