Queer Street
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Queer street is a
colloquial term Colloquialism (also called ''colloquial language'', ''colloquial speech'', ''everyday language'', or ''general parlance'') is the linguistic style used for casual and informal communication. It is the most common form of speech in conversation amo ...
referring to a person being in some difficulty, most commonly financial. It is often associated with Carey Street, where
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
's bankruptcy courts were once located.


Origins

The term appears in 1811 in the ''Lexicon Balatronicum: A Dictionary of Buckish Slang, University Wit, and Pickpocket Eloquence'', an updated version of
Francis Grose Francis Grose (before 11June 173112May 1791) was an England, English antiquary, drawing, draughtsman, and lexicographer. He produced ''A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue'' (1785) and ''A Provincial Glossary, with a Collection of Local ...
's ''Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue''. It is defined therein as: :"QUEER STREET. Wrong. Improper. Contrary to one's wish. It is queer street, a cant phrase, to signify that it is wrong or different to our wish." Although often being associated with the Carey Street
bankruptcy Bankruptcy is a legal process through which people or other entities who cannot repay debts to creditors may seek relief from some or all of their debts. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the deb ...
courts, which also lends its name to a similar phrase, the term Queer Street appears to predate the courts' move to Carey Street from Westminster in the 1840s. The
folk etymology Folk etymology – also known as (generative) popular etymology, analogical reformation, (morphological) reanalysis and etymological reinterpretation – is a change in a word or phrase resulting from the replacement of an unfamiliar form by a mo ...
associating Queer Street and Carey Street has persisted and led to a number of explanations for its supposed origins: that 'queer' may be a corruption of 'Carey' or that it is a transmutation of the
German language German (, ) is a West Germanic language in the Indo-European language family, mainly spoken in Western Europe, Western and Central Europe. It is the majority and Official language, official (or co-official) language in Germany, Austria, Switze ...
term ''Querstrasse'' (street running off at a right angle), the latter origin being akin to that of the idiom "
orthogonal In mathematics, orthogonality (mathematics), orthogonality is the generalization of the geometric notion of ''perpendicularity''. Although many authors use the two terms ''perpendicular'' and ''orthogonal'' interchangeably, the term ''perpendic ...
to" in the sense of "conceptually or logically incompatible with."In and Around Covent Garden
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Literary uses

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English novelist, journalist, short story writer and Social criticism, social critic. He created some of literature's best-known fictional characters, and is regarded by ...
wrote a chapter in ''
Our Mutual Friend ''Our Mutual Friend'', published in 1864–1865, is the last novel completed by English author Charles Dickens and is one of his most sophisticated works, combining savage satire with social analysis. It centres on, in the words of critic J. ...
'' (1864) called "Lodgers in Queer Street" about a corrupt moneylender plotting to bankrupt his "friends" because they outshine him socially. In '' Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde'' (1886) by
Robert Louis Stevenson Robert Louis Stevenson (born Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson; 13 November 1850 – 3 December 1894) was a Scottish novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer. He is best known for works such as ''Treasure Island'', ''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll ...
, chapter 1, Mr Enfield says: "No, sir. I make it a rule of mine: the more it looks like Queer Street, the less I ask." In '' The Great God Pan'' (1894) by
Arthur Machen Arthur Machen ( or ; 3 March 1863 – 15 December 1947) was the pen-name of Arthur Llewellyn Jones, a Welsh people, Welsh author and mysticism, mystic of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is best known for his influential supernatural ...
; Villiers speaking to Austin about his attempt to uncover the original identity of a "Mrs. Beaumont" stated: "If you see mud at the top of a stream, you may be sure that it was once at the bottom. I went to the bottom. I have always been fond of diving into Queer Street for my amusement, and I found my knowledge of that locality and its inhabitants very useful." In the
Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a Detective fiction, fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a "Private investigator, consulting detective" in his stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with obser ...
story " The Second Stain" (1904) by
Arthur Conan Doyle Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930) was a British writer and physician. He created the character Sherlock Holmes in 1887 for ''A Study in Scarlet'', the first of four novels and fifty-six short stories about Hol ...
, Inspector Lestrade chastises a constable, "It's lucky for you, my man, that nothing is missing, or you would find yourself in Queer Street." In the Sherlock Holmes story " The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place" and corresponding Granada television series episode, '' The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes'', episode 3, "Shoscombe Old Place", Watson observes that a character in debt is "by all accounts, so far down Queer Street, he may never find his way back again." In
Robert Falcon Scott Captain Robert Falcon Scott (6 June 1868 – ) was a British Royal Navy officer and explorer who led two expeditions to the Antarctic regions: the Discovery Expedition, ''Discovery'' expedition of 1901–04 and the Terra Nova Expedition ...
's (1912) diary account of the return of the South Pole party, he notes - "We have only three days food with us and shall be in Queer Street if we miss the depot." In ''
Women in Love ''Women in Love'' is a 1920 novel by English author D. H. Lawrence. It is a sequel to his earlier novel, '' The Rainbow'' (1915), and follows the continuing loves and lives of the Brangwen sisters, Gudrun and Ursula. Gudrun Brangwen, an arti ...
'' (1921) by D. H. Lawrence, Gerald Crich's mother says to him "You mind yourself, or you'll find yourself in Queer Street, that's what will happen to you." In ''
Whose Body? ''Whose Body?'' is a 1923 mystery novel by Dorothy L. Sayers first published in the UK by T. Fisher Unwin and in the US by Boni & Liveright. It was her debut novel, and the book in which she introduced the character of Lord Peter Wimsey. ''Clou ...
'' (1923) by '' Dorothy L. Sayers'', ''
Lord Peter Wimsey Lord Peter Death Bredon Wimsey (later 17th Duke of Denver) is the fictional protagonist in a series of detective novels and short stories by Dorothy L. Sayers (and their continuation by Jill Paton Walsh). A amateur, dilettante who solves myst ...
'' says to Inspector Charles Parker "Don't march in there blowing about murders and police warrants, or you may find yourself in Queer Street." In ''
Death in the Clouds ''Death in the Clouds'' is a work of detective fiction by British writer Agatha Christie, published in 1935. It features the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot and Chief Inspector Japp. It is a " closed circle" murder mystery: the victim is a ...
'' (1935) by
Agatha Christie Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, (; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English people, English author known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving ...
, a businessman named James Ryder, one of the suspects in the murder of Madame Giselle, remarks that, "It's odd how small a sum will sometimes put a man in Queer Street." Christie had previously used the term in her novel '' Peril at End House'' (1932) and in ''Murder in Three Acts'' (1934), her preferred title for '' Three-Act Tragedy'', the title used for the novel's original U.S. publication. In '
Brideshead Revisited ''Brideshead Revisited: The Sacred & Profane Memories of Captain Charles Ryder'' is a novel by the English writer Evelyn Waugh, first published in 1945. It follows, from the 1920s to the early 1940s, the life and romances of Charles Ryder, esp ...
'' (1945) Edward Ryder, commenting on his son Charles' difficult financial situation, remarks dryly, "Hard up? Penurious? Distressed? Embarrassed? Stoney broke? On the rocks? In Queer Street?" - Your cousin Melchior was imprudent with his investments and got into a very queer street - worked his passage to Australia before the mast." In the 1990 television show ''
Twin Peaks ''Twin Peaks'' is an American Surrealist cinema, surrealist Mystery film, mystery-Horror film, horror Drama (film and television), drama television series created by Mark Frost and David Lynch. It Pilot (Twin Peaks), premiered on American Broad ...
'' sheriff Truman chastises the pathologist Albert saying "normally if a stranger walked into my station talking this kind of crap, he'd be looking for his teeth two blocks up on Queer Street." In the British cooking show ''
Two Fat Ladies ''Two Fat Ladies'' was a British cooking programme starring Jennifer Paterson and Clarissa Dickson Wright. It originally ran for four series – twenty-four episodes – from 9 October 1996 to 28 September 1999, being produced by Optomen, Optom ...
'', during the episode "Barristers at Lincoln's Inn" (1998) in season three, Clarissa Dickson Wright tells her sidekick, and driver,
Jennifer Paterson Jennifer Mary Paterson (3 April 1928 – 10 August 1999) was a British celebrity cook, author, actress and television personality who appeared on the television programme '' Two Fat Ladies'' (1996–1999) with Clarissa Dickson Wright. Prior to ...
during a motorcycle with sidecar jaunt through London, "Turn into Queer Street Jennifer." To which Jennifer replies, "They probably call it Gay Street now." Clarissa corrects her, "No, not that sort of queer. It's because the bankruptcy courts are here."


Combat sports

Queer Street may also refer to the moment when a boxer or similar combatant is dazed from getting struck on the head but remains standing.


References

{{reflist British slang Boxing terminology