“Cumberworld” & 26 More Old English Insults

An insult a day keeps the doctor away, or so the saying goes. Now if that’s the saying, does that mean an insult has similar properties to an apple or something? That’s possible. Isn’t it?

Just kidding. It does not. And there is no such thing as that saying. An insult a day is just an insult a day. And it does not keep the doctor away. That’s okay, though. Because even though an insult cannot keep the doctor away, it can shoo the ick in a day. Sometimes, an insult, a pretty clever one, can even make you laugh until your belly hurts. Then, there are times when an insult can make you feel out of sorts. So when it comes to saying an insult: when in doubt, don’t insult it out. At the same time, read the room first before saying something you might regret three hours later.

On that note, when was the last time you used an insult? Was that insult a modern insult or an old-timey one? Do you know any older than boomer age English insults? If not, give this a scroll!

1. cumberworld: a useless person
2. gollumpus: “a large, clumsy fellow” (according to the 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, originally by Francis Grose)
3. whiffle-whaffle: an indecisive and time-wasting person
4. raggabrash: a disorganized person
5. snollygoster: an obnoxious, sneaky person who is not to be trusted because they will stop at nothing to get what they want
6. saddle-goose: a foolish person; a moron; a stupid person
7. afternoon farmer: a lazy person
8. gobermouch: a very, very, very, very nosy person
9. bedswerver: an adulterer; a cheater
10. chuffer: a person who talks and talks and talks but does nothing
11. fopdoodle: a foolish person; a stupid person
12. tosser: a rude person; an obnoxious person; a stupid person
13. duke of limbs: a very tall, clumsy person, awkward
14. smellfungus: a complainer; someone who is always saying something and complaining
15. snoutband: a person who always interrupts a conversation because they think they know better
16. gnashnab: a person who is always complaining and is never happy
17. klazomaniac: a person who shouts a lot for no good reason
18. leasing-monger: a flowery and fancy way of calling someone a liar
19. quisby: a person who doesn’t want to do any work; a lazy person
20. rakefire: a guest who overstays their welcome and just won’t leave ever
21. stampcrab: a very clumsy person
22. skelpie-limmer: a misbehaving person (usually a child) who is always up to no good
23. loiter-sack: a person who does nothing all day
24. sorner: a moocher; a freeloader who lives off others
25. tatterdemallion: a way to call someone dressed in tattered and ragged clothing
26. grumbletonian: a person who is always unhappy and complaining
27. smell-feast: that person who only shows up when there is food