Can You Identify the Real Historical Euphemism for Sex?

For as long as humans have existed, there’s always been a certain apprehension about discussing sex. Though it’s impossible to imagine life without it—in the literal sense—societal discretions have often meant talking around it, often with a series of euphemisms, Netflix and chill being among the more recent.

See if you can spot which fanciful phrases for sex are real, and which we made up, in the quiz below.

The further back in time one goes, the better the euphemism. In the 17th century, one might use the phrases blow off the groundsills or join giblets. In the 19th century, one could say they were “having one’s corn ground” or “arriving at the end of the sentimental journey.”

The past is also rife with curious advice about avoiding carnal activities. Victorians suggested playing card games to keep thought pure and being mindful that sex might lower one’s IQ. Such concerns, while baseless, likely gave some people pause before having their corn ground.

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