ha’porth o’ liveliness
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The music at a low concert, or theatre. Also a dilatory person.
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 “ha’porth o’ liveliness” mean?
The music at a low concert, or theatre. Also a dilatory person.
Is “ha’porth o’ liveliness” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.