freeman's quay
Preserved but no longer current.
Sense 1
Free of expence. To lush at Freeman's Quay; to drink at another's cost.
Era: ca. 1811 (Georgian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1811 edition, public domain; Project Gutenberg #5402, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Sense 2
"drinking at FREEMAN’S QUAY," i.e., at another’s cost. This quay was formerly a celebrated wharf near London Bridge, and the saying arose from the beer which was given gratis to porters and carmen who went there on business.
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 “freeman's quay” mean?
Free of expence. To lush at Freeman's Quay; to drink at another's cost.
Is “freeman's quay” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.