A venerable old word. You find it in Chaucer. The Wife of Bath's Tale, where she effectively promises her ageing husband, “ What are you bothering me for now, you old fool? You shall have **** aplenty at eventide”.
But I agree it should be used sparingly, and with sincerity.
I've just seen above that Fiftyyearsandcounting, who like myself uses a compound user name, sort of beat me to it. But I give the precise reference, for anyone who cares to look it up.
And by the way, Hamlet, in a bawdy exchange with Ophelia, says “Why, that's a fair thought to lie between maid's legs!”. When she replies, “What is, my lord?” he replies “Nothing.” Supposedly, it was a code word for… ****, for the Elizabethans.
(Amazing the way stuff that you studied for 'O' level stays with you).
