grubbing ken
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
A place where food may be procured; a workhouse or cookshop.
Register: slang
Examples
It was on my tongue, as the saying is, to tell him I was not a frequenter of “grubbing kens,” but I thought better of it; it was the best policy not to offend him, as he might be useful.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
or SPINIKIN, a workhouse; a cook-shop.
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 “grubbing ken” mean?
A place where food may be procured; a workhouse or cookshop.
Is “grubbing ken” formal or informal?
grubbing ken is generally slang.