This post is sponsored by FX Networks but the content & opinions expressed here are my own.


I spent the afternoon pouring over an 18th-century dictionary of heterodox, slang, & phrases. It's true, I literally read the dictionary. I found it interesting to see how many of those phrases we still use today (lovey dovey, hullabaloo, snaggle-tooth, stealing someone's thunder).


Inspired by the dark & gritty trailers for Taboo, a new show produced by Ridley Scott that premiers January 10 & stars Tom Hardy, I came up with a more historical Vocabulary Time! theme. I literally got goosebumps as I watched the trailer. Taboo looks dark, deep, & mysterious.


"Set in 1814, Taboo follows James Keziah Delaney, a man who has been to the ends of the earth & comes back irrevocably changed. Believed to be long dead, he returns home to London from Africa to inherit what is left of his father's shipping empire & rebuild a life for himself.

But his father's legacy is a poisoned chalice, & with enemies lurking in every dark corner, James must navigate increasingly complex territories to avoid his own death sentence. Encircled by conspiracy, murder & betrayal, a dark family mystery unfolds in a combustible tale of love & treachery."


Words & phrases are so rich with history, something we rarely think about. But what about those words & phrases we never hear anymore? It's time to bring them back. Now that the mood is set, take a look at these vocabulary phrases from 19th century London.


1. Beer & skittles

Definition: pleasure, contentment
Example: Working from home isn't all beer & skittles. People tend to think you do nothing all day, which couldn't be further from the truth.


2. Postman's sister

Definition: secret informant
Example: The detectives wouldn't have found out the truth about the murder had it not been for the an anonymous letter written by the postman's sister.


3. Translate the truth

Definition: to lie evasively or in a misleading manner
Example: When asked if she had stolen the spyglass, Edith translated the truth & said she'd never seen it before in her life. The spyglass was later found in her possession.


FX Networks sent over a spyglass for me to play around with. Let me tell you, it's not easy & definitely comes with a learning curve. Walking around with it, I felt like the postman's sister or an adventurer myself. Ready to take on the world!


I bet James Keziah Delaney was a natural at using a spyglass, so I'll just have to tune in to FX Networks on January 10 to see Taboo (& Tom Hardy) in action! You also have the chance to enter to win a series of diamonds valued at over $3,000. Enter to win!

Will you tune in to watch Taboo? Which of these 19th century phrases do you like best? 

* Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by FX Networks. As always, all opinions are 100% mine aka Carmen's. Learn more about my disclosure. :]