sharp’s-alley blood-worms
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Beef sausages and black puddings. Sharp’s Alley was, until City improvements caused it to be destroyed, a noted slaughtering-place near Smithfield.
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 “sharp’s-alley blood-worms” mean?
Beef sausages and black puddings. Sharp’s Alley was, until City improvements caused it to be destroyed, a noted slaughtering-place near Smithfield.
Is “sharp’s-alley blood-worms” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.