Talk:beneshiply

Are we sure about this meaning? The old slang dictionaries define it as "worshipfully". Equinox ◑ 02:15, 30 July 2018 (UTC)

I think it is accurate, although I wouldn't go as far as entirely sure. As I recall, my reasoning was along the lines of the following: Modern dictionaries define it as "excellently"; for instance, Eric Partridge's Dictionary of the Underworld (Google Books link) defines it as "excellently, skillfully, attractively". The only citation I found, for the benshiply form (which is also quoted by Partridge), was:

1673, Richard Head, The Canting Academy‎^[1]:

This Doxy Dell can cut been whids, / And wap well for a win, / And prig and cloy so benshiply / All the Deuseavile within.

(roughly) This woman can speak good words, / and fornicate well for a penny, / And steal so (benshiply) / All the countryside within.

Which seems to refer to how well the woman in question steals (prigs and cloys). This usage doesn't seems to mean worshipfully as a synonym of reverentially. Also, we have the root word beneship defined as "very good; excellent" (which is confirmed by Oxford Reference), with its own citations that seem to match. At a guess, worshipfully may have been used in a different way in Grose's era. - AdamBMorgan (talk) 13:46, 30 July 2018 (UTC)