husbands' boat
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
The Saturday-afternoon packet boat from London to Margate during the summer season.
Register: archaic, slang
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
the Saturday afternoon packet to Margate during the summer season. So called for obvious reasons. The passengers by this boat come in for an unusual share of attention from the cads peculiar to this watering-place.
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 “husbands' boat” mean?
The Saturday-afternoon packet boat from London to Margate during the summer season.
Is “husbands' boat” formal or informal?
husbands' boat is generally archaic, slang.