crossed

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

Prohibited from taking food from the buttery.—University.

Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)

Where it’s used: Origin British & Irish English
Sources & notes

Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.

Common questions

What does “crossed” mean?

Prohibited from taking food from the buttery.—University.

Is “crossed” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.