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Hulks

Hulks were a kind of floating prisons.  Old and worn out warships were converted into floating prisons, after their masts and guns were stripped. They were anchored in rivers and estuaries, especially on the River Thames, and the River Medway.  In Pip's time, Britain's prisons were overcrowded.  Many convicts were kept on these prisons while waiting to be transported to colonies such as Australia or before being assigned to hard labour.  Pip sees the black hulk lying in the marshes and it creates an atmosphere of fear and punishment. The hulk symbolises crime and punishment; the British penal system; and the overcrowding of British prisons.  The use of hulks was common in Britain from the late 18th century to mid-nineteenth century. Conditions aboard them were notoriously overcrowded, unsanitary, and brutal.
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Badger Out

In Chapter 2 of Great Expectations, badger out means to force someone to reveal something by persistent questioning, teasing, or pressure.  The verb to badger originally referred to the cruel old sport of badger-baiting, in which dogs harass a badger until it is exhausted. From this came the figurative meaning of badger out:  Here Pip wants to know the meaning of "hulks". Joe Gargery explains him what it is. Then comes his next question. Here, his sister Mrs Joe interferes and asks him to "get along to bed."  Get along to bed is a casual British way of telling or advising someone to go to sleep or head to bed.
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Ask no question and you will be told no lies

In chapter 2 of Great Expectations, Mrs Joe Gargery advises her little brother, Pip: Ask no question and you will be told no lies.  This is a proverb that means: If you don't ask about something people won't have the opportunity or temptation to deceive you.  It is often used humourously or ironically.  The speaker suggests that asking questions may lead to dishonest or evasive answers.  It is a wry observation about human nature. 
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Drat That Boy

"Drat that boy"  is an old-fashioned mild expression of annoyance or frustration towards a male child or young man.  Drat is a mild curse word. It is a shortened blend of "God rot." It expresses irritation without being truly angry. It was used frequently in 19th and 20th century British literature. It was spoken by frustrated parents, teachers or neighbours.  It is equal to saying "confoud that boy" or "Darn that boy." The expression reflects Mrs Joe's habitual impatient and harsh treatment of him rather than a wish to harm him.  Dickens uses it to capture the speech of ordinary rural people in his time. 
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Garret Bedroom

In Chapter 2 of Great Expectations Pip says about his garret bedroom. A garret is a small room under the roof of the house -- an attic room.  Usually it has a slope ceiling, poorly insulated, and is least comfortable. The garret bedroom of Mrs Joe Gargery's house tells us that it is a modest working class house, and Pip as a child is given the least desirable bedroom, showing his low status.   Such attic rooms were common in nineteenth-century England, especially in cottages and small houses, and they were often used for children and servants and for storage. It is a small attic room and Dickens uses this to show Pip's humble upbringing snd his sense of isolation.
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Bootjack

A bootjack is a small V shaped or U shaped tool used to help pull off tight or muddy boots. It lets you remove footwear without bending over or using your hands.  Design:  A flat board on the ground, with a notched forked mouth at one end.  How it works:  You step on the flat base with one foot , place the heel of your other boot in the notch, and pull your foot straight up and put.  It saves you from bending down or straining your back.  It keeps your hand clean if your boots are covered in mud or dirt.  It prevents damages to the heel that happen when you pull boot off with your other foot
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Chawed

In Chapter 2 of Great Expectations "chawed" is a dialect of "chewed".  Dickens often spells the word the way the working class or down trodden people pronounce them, to capture their regional speech.  When Joe Gargery says chawed, he simply means chewed - to bite and grind food with teeth.  The spelling "chaw" was common dialect.  It also reflects the Joe's humble background and limited education. Take note of the fact that Elementary Education Act ( also known as the Forster Act) was passed in 1870 only. 
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