·noun The talk of a ribald; low, vulgar language; indecency; obscenity; lewdness;
— now chiefly applied to indecent language, but formerly, as by Chaucer, also to indecent acts or conduct.
Vulgar abusive language, such as was spoken by ribalds. Ribalds were originally mercenary soldiers w...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose