raree shew men
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Poor Savoyards, who subsist by shewing the magic lantern and marmots about London.
Era: ca. 1811 (Georgian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
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.
Common questions
What does “raree shew men” mean?
Poor Savoyards, who subsist by shewing the magic lantern and marmots about London.
Is “raree shew men” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.