shannon

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

A river in Ireland: persons dipped in that river are perfectly and for ever cured of bashfulness.

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 “shannon” mean?

A river in Ireland: persons dipped in that river are perfectly and for ever cured of bashfulness.

Is “shannon” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.