A slang term used in various regions of Britain to describe a deity or entity of high religious value. Most commonly, this term is coined to the concept of "God", although it has also been used to describe key historical religious figures such as Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary.
The word was extremely commonplace up to the late 1800s, at which point it began to gradually fade out of use. Whilst certain areas of the country are still known to use it, specifically the Nottinghamshire county, the general consensus is that it is a dead word.
The word was extremely commonplace up to the late 1800s, at which point it began to gradually fade out of use. Whilst certain areas of the country are still known to use it, specifically the Nottinghamshire county, the general consensus is that it is a dead word.
by Oxford Association of the English Language [OAEL]. February 28, 2005