flannel
Preserved but no longer current.
Or HOT FLANNEL, the old term for gin and beer, drunk hot, with nutmeg, sugar, &c.; a play on the old name "lambswool." Also called "flip." There is an anecdote told of Goldsmith helping to drink a quart of FLANNEL in a night-house, in company with George Parker, Ned Shuter, and a demure, grave-looking gentleman, who continually introduced the words "crap," "stretch," "scrag," and "swing." Upon the Doctor asking who this strange person might be, and being told his profession, he rushed from the p
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
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 “flannel” mean?
Or HOT FLANNEL, the old term for gin and beer, drunk hot, with nutmeg, sugar, &c.; a play on the old name "lambswool." Also called "flip." There is an anecdote told of Goldsmith helping to drink a quart of FLANNEL in a night-house, in company with George Parker, Ned Shuter, and a demure, grave-looking gentleman, who continually introduced the words "crap," "stretch," "scrag," and "swing." Upon the Doctor asking who this strange person might be, and being told his profession, he rushed from the p
Is “flannel” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.