to box the jesuit, and get cock roaches
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A sea term for masturbation; a crime, it is said, much practised by the reverend fathers of that society.
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 “to box the jesuit, and get cock roaches” mean?
A sea term for masturbation; a crime, it is said, much practised by the reverend fathers of that society.
Is “to box the jesuit, and get cock roaches” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.