The Lexicon of Thieves Cant (1st Edition) Compiled by Shaun Hately

This dictionary is based on the "Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. A Dictionary of Buckish Slang, University Wit and Pickpocket Eloquence." Printed for C. Chappel of Pall-Mall, London in 1811, and based on the dictionary compiled by Captain Grose in 1785. Despite its date of publication, it can be used in FRP campaigns by those who desire a detailed use of thieves cant. A reproduction of this dictionary was published in 1981 by Papermac, a division of MacMillan Publishers Limited, London and Basingstoke and is (C) 1971 Digest Books Inc. Illinois. "The Lexicon of Thieves Cant (1st Edition): Compiled by Shaun Hately." is (C) 1996 Shaun Hately, except where copyright is owned by other people. No challenge is made by Shaun Hately to any copyright status held by other people. Permission to copy this dictionary in unedited form including this section is granted by Shaun Hately, provided no profit is made.

This guide is not recommended for use by children in their games as some of the material is of an adult nature.

I apologise for the possibility that some of the material in this dictionary may be construed as racist, sexist or homophobic. This material is included for the sake of completeness. I do not subscribe to prejudice in any way shape or form. I would also like to say that the use of the term `gipsy' does not refer to groups of people who wander from place to place, but only to those people who engage in criminal activity while maintaining such a lifestyle.

I welcome contributions to further editions of this dictionary. Any contributions will be acknowledged.

My e-mail address is: http://php.iupui.edu/~asimmon/[email protected]

My snail mail address is:

Mr Shaun Hately 45 Moreton St Frankston North Victoria 3200 AUSTRALI

rogues who in CANT TO ENGLISH Ambidexter: conjunction with a lawyer who garners fees watermen, robbed and -A- from both plaintiff and sometimes murdered on defender the water by picking Abbess: aquarrel with passengers the mistress of a brothel To amuse: in a boat, boarding it, to fling dust into the eyes plundering, stripping, and Abram: of the person intended to throwing them overboard naked be robbed; also to invent some plausible tale to Artichoke: Abram cove: delude a shopkeeper in hanged (see hearty choke) a word used among order to put them off their thieves which signifies a guard Aunt: naked or poor man It can a prostitute or someone also mean a lusty strong Amusers: who procures prostitutes rogue a rogue who uses the above tactic Avoir Du Pois Lay: Abram men: stealing brass weights off a beggar who pretends to Anabaptist: the counters of shops be mad a pickpocket caught in the act, and punished by being Autem Bawler: To sham abram: thrown into a pond a priest to pretend to be sick Anglers: Autem Divers: Academy: pilferers or petty thieves pickpockets who operate brothel who with a stick having a in churches and temples hook at the end, steal Ace of spades: goods out of shop Autem Mort: a widow windows, grates etc Also a female beggar who hires someone who `draws in' children in order to inspire Acorn: victims in order to rob charity to ride a horse foaled by them an acorn, is to be hanged on the gallows Angling for coppers: begging out of a prison -B- Adam Tiler: window with a cap or box a pickpockets associate, let down on the end of a Babes in the wood: who receives the stolen long string criminals in the stocks or goods, and runs off with pillory them Arch Rogue: The chief of a gang of Badge: Affidavit Men: thieves or gipsies a term for one who has a witness for hire had his hand burned as Someone who will swear Ard: punishment for theft to anything in court if paid hot, stolen to do so Bandog: Ark: a bailiff or sheriff Air and exercise: a boat He has had air and Barrow man: exercise, ie he has been Ark ruffians: a man under sentence of whipped at the carts tail transport Bess or Betty: Bat: a crow bar Blue pigeons: a very common prostitute thieves who steal lead off Bilboes: houses and other Bawd: the stocks or prison buildings a prostitute Bilk: Bluffer: Bawdy basket: to cheat or con an inn keeper criminal who sells items from door to door, but Bing: Blunt: makes most of their living to go or escape money by stealing Bingo: Boarding school: Beak: brandy or other spirit a prison a justice of the peace or magistrate Bingo boy: Bob: a drinker of brandy shoplifter's assistant One Beef: who receives stolen goods to "cry beef" is to give an Bingo mort: alarm To "be in a mans a female drinker of Boned: beef" is to wound him brandy seized, arrested with a sword Birds of a feather: Boung: Beggar maker: rogues of the same gang a purse a man who owns a tavern Bite: Boung nipper: Beilby's Ball: to steal a cut purse to "dance with Beilby's ball" is to be hung Black art: Brimstone: the art of picking a lot an abandoned woman or Bene: thief good Black box: a lawyer Bubber: Bene Bowse: a thief who steals from good beer Blasted fellow: taverns an abandoned rogue or Bene Cove: prostitute Bufe: good fellow a dog Blater: Bene Darkmans: a stolen calf Bufe nabber: good night a dog thief Bleaters: Bene feaker: those cheated by a Jack in Bug: counterfeiter the Box (See Jack in the to exchange a material for box) one of less value Bene feakers of gybes: counterfeiter of false Bleating rig: Bung nipper: passes sheep stealing a pickpocket

Ben: Blow: Burning the ken: a fool to "bite the blow"is to steal to flee a tavern without the goods paying your bill to have your hand burnt Content: Bus napper: as a punishment for theft a person murdered for a constable resisting a robbery Charm: Bus nappers kenchin: a lockpick Cove: a watchman a man Chatts: Buttock and file: the gallows Cracksman: a prostitute who steals a house breaker from their clients Clank: a silver tankard Cramp word: Button: the sentence of death a fake coin Clank napper: a silver tankard stealer Crash: Buzman: kill a pickpocket Clear: very drunk Crop: hang -C- Click: to hit Cull: Cackle: an honest man to inform on a thief Clicker: the person who divides Cullability: Calle: the booty between a group easily cheated a cloak or gown worn as a of thieves disguise Curbing law: Climb up a ladder to bed: the act off hooking items Canters: be hanged out of a window (see thieves or beggars angling) Cloy: Canting Crew: steal Cursitors: thieves or beggars a bad lawyer Cloyes: Cap thieves take an oath Cly: Captain Sharp: a pocket a person in a fixed game -D- of chance whose job is to Cly the jerk: bully those who refuse to to be whipped Dangle: pay their debts hang Cockles, to cry: Caravan: to be hanged Darbies: a large sum of money, or chains (handcuffs) one who is cheated of a Colt: large sum of money one who lends a horse to Darby: a highway man, or an easy money Cattle: apprentice thief prostitutes or gipsies Darkee: Confect: a dark or hooded lantern Charactered: counterfeited Darkmans: night time coins made of lead a place where stolen goods are hidden Dawb: Die hard: bribe show no fear or remorse Fidlam ben: at the gallows thieves Deadly nevergreen: gallows Figging law: the art of picking pockets Derrick: a hangman Figure dancer: one who alters the Dimber Damber: numbers on notes of credit a chief thief -E- or other paper money

Ding Boy: Earnest: Filcher: a mugger a promise to pay see angler

Dive: Equipt: Flash ken: to pick a pocket well dressed, rich a thieves hideout

Dive: Flash lingo: a thieves hideout thieves cant

Dommerer: Floating hell: a beggar who pretends to a prison ship be mute -F- Flog: Drag: to whip to follow a cart or wagon Fagger: in order to rob it a small boy passed Fob: through a window in cheat Draw-latches: order to open the door to a robbers of houses house Footpad: a common thief Drawing the King's Family man: picture: a receiver of stolen goods Fork: to counterfeit coins to pick a pocket Fam lay: Dromedary: palming an item in order Fortune teller: a bungling thief to steal it a judge

Dub: Fams: Foyst: a lockpick gloves a pickpocket

Dub Lay: Fen: Frummagemmed: to rob a house by picking a prostitute strangled or hanged its lock Fence: Fun: Dummee: to sell stolen goods One a cheat or a trick a pocket book or purse who buys stolen goods Fuzz: Dumps: Fencing ken: to pretend to shuffle a Gudgeon: to rob by entering deck of cards a gullible person through windows that have been left open Gull: a gullible person, to cheat Hoodwink: someone blindfold or fool someone

Hooked: captured -G- Hookers: Gallows bird: see angler a thief or pickpocket or someone that associates -H- Hubbub: with them a riot Hamlet: Game: a senior constable Hue: any mode of robbery to whip Hang gallows look: Gamon: a villainous appearance Hush: to deceive murder Hang in chains: Gaoler's coach: a vile, desperate person Hush money: a cart used to take felons a bribe to execution Harman: a constable Gentleman's master: a highwayman Harmans: the stocks Gibberish: thieves cant Hearty choke: to be hanged -I- Gilt: a thief who picks locks Heave: Iron: to rob money Ginny: a crowbar Hempen fever: Ironmongers shop: a person who has been to "keep an ironmongers Glazier: hanged is said to have shop" is to be hung in a thief who breaks died of "hempen fever" chains windows in order to steal Hempen widow: Glim: one whose husband was a lantern used in hanged housebreaking High pad: Grease: a highwayman bribe -J- Hike: Gregorian tree: to run away Jack in a box: gallows a card sharper Hoist: Jack Ketch: young thieves a small boy passed hangman through a window in King's plate: order to open a door Jail bird: chains, shackles prisoner Long tongued: King's pictures: unable to keep a secret Jammed: money hanged Lowre: Knight of the blade: money Jem: a bully a gold ring Lully priggers: Knight of the post: thieves who steal wet Jemmy: a man willing to give fake clothes off clothes lines a crow bar evidence for money Lurch: Jigger: Knight of the road: to be "left in the lurch" is whipping post a highwayman to be betrayed by ones companions Jordain: a stick or staff used by muggers

Juggler's box: the device used to burn the hands of criminals -L- -M- Jukrum: Laced mutton: the permission of the head a prostitute Mad Tom: of a thieves guild to a beggar who feigns operate within his territory Lag: madness a man transported for a crime Made: stolen Land pirate: a highwayman Made man: a member of the thieves Lay: guild -K- danger Maunding: Kate: Leaf: begging a lockpick to "go with the fall of the leaf" is to be hanged Milch cow: Ken: one who is easily tricked a house Lift: out of his money steal Ken Miller or Ken Cracker: Moabites: housebreaker Lightmans: bailiffs daytime Ketch: Mobility: hangman Little snakesman: the commoners Intended as a pun on `nobility' Kiddeys: Moon curser: Needle point: a thief who uses the a card sharper darkness as cover for his crime New drop: the gallows -O- Moon men: gipsies Newman's lift: Oak: the gallows a rich man Morning drop: the gallows Nig: Oaken towel: the metal clipped of a coin a cudgel Mort: by a criminal a woman Office: Night magistrate: to "give office" is to tell Moss: a constable constables of a thieves lead stolen off the top of activities buildings Nim: to steal or pilfer Old hand: Mot: an experienced thief see Mort Nip: a cheat Onion: Myrmidons: a seal or signet ring constables Noisy dog racket: the crime of stealing brass Overseer: door knockers from doors a man in the pillory or stocks Noozed: hanged (or married)

Nose: -N- a criminal who gives evidence against his Nab: colleagues in order to gain to seize a lighter sentence -P-

Nab the stoop: Nubbing: Pad: to be put in the stocks hanging the highway

Napper: Nubbing cheat: Pad borrowers: a cheat or thief the gallows horse thieves

Napper of naps: Nubbing cove: Palaver: a sheep stealer the hangman a tale told in order avoid blame for a crime Natty lads: Nubbing ken: young thieves or the courthouse Panny: pickpockets house Nypper: Neck weed: a cutpurse Parenthesis: hemp to be made into the stocks rope Parings: the metal clipped of a coin Pound: by a criminal prison Quarromes: a body Patter flash: Prad lay: to use thieves cant the act of cutting the Queer: saddlebags of horses in "To queer" means to Paum: order to steal their confuse someone conceal in the hand contents Queer bail: Peach: Prad: someone who pretends to turn informer a horse have money in order to act as surety for an arrested Peeper: Prig: person When the person is a spying glass a thief released they disappear (Telescope?) Prig napper: Queer birds: Penance board: one who catches thieves A a person who when the pillory bounty hunter released from prison returns to a life of crime Petty fogger: Priggers: a lawyer willing to thieves Queer bit makers: undertake any case counterfeiters of coins Priggers of prancers: Pig: horse thieves Queer bung: an officer of the law an empty purse Priggers of cacklers: Pigeon: robbers of henhouses Queer cove: a person easy to cheat a thief Prince Prig: Plate: head of a group of thieves Queer cuffin: money, silver, gold etc or gipsies a justice of the peace

Poney: Provendor: Queer ken: money the victim of a thief a prison

Pop: Public ledger: Queer mort: pawn a prostitute a diseased prostitute

Pop shop: Pull: Quod: pawnbrokers arrest prison

Porridge: Puzzle-cause: Quota: prison a lawyer who does not a thieves share of the understand the case booty Posse mobilitatis: a mob chasing a criminal

Poulterer: a man who opens mail and steals the money enclosed within -Q- -R- exchanging silver coins a skilled lock picker Rag: for those made of less paper money valuable metal Rum file: a skilled pickpocket Rank rider: Roast: a highwayman arrest Rum fun: a clever trick Rap: Robert's men: taking a false oath successful thieves Rum pad: the highway Rascal: Rot gut: rogue or villain cheap spiritous liquor Rum padders: skilled and successful Rat: Rovers: highwaymen an informer To turn pirates, wandering thieves informer Rum prancer: Rub: a good horse Rattling cove: run away a coachman Rushers: Ruffles: home invaders Rattling mumpers: chains or shackles beggars who beg from coaches Rufflers: beggars who pretend to Reader: be wounded soldiers or a pocket book or purse sailors

Reader merchants: Rug: -S- pickpockets safe and secure Salmon: Ready: Rum: an oath taken by a beggar money fine, good, valuable Scapegallows: Recruiting service: Rum beck: one who deserves and has highway robbery a justice of the peace escaped the gallows

Repository: Rum bite: Scragged: a gaol a clever trick hanged

Resurrection men: Rum bob: Scragg'em fair: those employed by a skilled apprentice thief a public execution scientists to steal bodies from churchyards Rum bung: Screw: a full purse a lock pick or skeleton key Rhino: money Rum cod: Sham: a purse filled with gold a trick Ribbin: money Rum diver: Sharper: a skilled pickpocket a con man Ringing the changes: Rum dubber: Sheriff's journeyman: hangman escape "To squeak" means Tayle drawers: to confess a thief who steals swords Sheriff's ball: from a mans belt an execution Squeakers: organ pipes Teize: Sheriff's hotel: a flogging prison Stalling ken: place where stolen goods Thatch-gallows: Sheriff's picture frame: can be sold a man of poor character gallows Star the glaze: Thief takers: Shop: break a jewellers window someone who associates prison with thieves in order to Stoop: arrest them and obtain Shoplifter: the pillory rewards one who steals from a shop Stop hole abbey: Three-legged mare: the central hideout or the gallows Sing: guild hall for a thieves call out, inform guild Three legged stool: the gallows Slang: Stretching: chains or shackles hanging Tom of Bedlam: see Mad Tom Slang: Stuling ken: thieves cant see Stalling ken Topping cheat: the gallows Slipgibbet: Swaddler: see Scapegallows a thief who beats and Topping cove: murders his victims hangman Snap the glaze: break a window Swag: Touch: booty arrest Snapt: captured Sweating: Trounce: removing metal from a punish Sneak: coin, by using chemicals a pilferer Tucked up: Swing: hanged Snoozing ken: hang brothel Turncoat: one who has betrayed his Sop: friends a bribe Turn off: Spring-ankle hang

-T- Twig: warehouse: realise that something is prison Tail: up a prostitute Squeak: Two to one shop: pawnbrokers ENGLISH TO CANT Whack: a share of booty obtained -A- by fraud Abandoned person: Whip jacks: blasted fellow, brimstone, thieves who pretend to be lurch sailors in order to gain free -U- passage on boats and ships Arrested: boned, hooked, nabbed, Underdubber: Wiper: pulled, roasted, snapt, a prison guard handkerchief touched

Upright Man: Wiper drawer: chief thief of a guild a pickpocket who steals handkerchiefs Used up: killed Wooden ruff: pillory -B- Wry neck day: day of execution Beer: bowse

Beggars: -V- abram men, autem mort, dommerer, mad Tom, Vamp: rattling mumpers, rufflers, pawn Tom of Bedlam -Y- Varlets: Begging: criminals Yelp: angling for coppers, cry out for the police maunding Vincent's law: the art of cheating at cards Boat: ark Vowel: to write an IOU Body: quarromes

-Z- Body thieves: ressurection men Zad: a very crooked person Booty: quota, swag, whack -W- Brandy: Waterpad: bingo river pirate Bribe: Wedge: dawb, grease, hush silver plate money, sop drawing the King's Escape: Brothel: picture, sweating bing, burning the ken, academy, snoozing ken hike, rub Courthouse: nubbing ken

Criminals being punished:

Being transported: -C- barrow man, lag -F-

Calf, stolen: In stocks: Feign illness: blater babes in the wood, sham abram nappered, overseer With Call for police: hands burned:badge, Follow: cry beef charactered drag

Cart: Crow bar: Fool: gaoler's coach Bess, Betty, ginny, jemmy Ben, cullability, gudgeon, gull, milch cow, pigeon, Cloak: queer calle

Club: jordain, oaken towel

Coach man: -D- rattling cove Danger: -G- Coin, fake: lay button, dump Gallows: Day: chatts, deadly nevergreen, Coin shavings: lightmans Gregorian Tree, morning nig, parings drop, new drop, Death sentence: Newman's lift, nubbing Con: cramp word cheat,sheriff's picture amuse, bilk, fob, fun, fuzz, frame, three legged mare, hoodwink, sham Dog: three legged stool, topping bufe cheat Con man: amuser, jack in a box, Drunk: Gang: needle point, nip, sharper clear birds of a feather

Counterfeiter: Gipsies: bene feaker, figure cattle, moon men dancer, queer bit maker Gloves: Counterfeited: fams confect -E- Good: Counterfeiting: bene, rum cracksman, draw latch, black box, cursitor, petty Ken Miller, Ken Cracker, fogger, puzzle-case rushers Lead: moss

License: -H- jukrum

Hanged: Lie: acorn, artichoked, beilby's -I- amuse, gamon, palaver ball, cry cockles, cropped, dangled, frummagemmed, Inform: Lock pick: hearty choked, hempen cackle, long tongued, charm, dub, kate, screw fever, ironmongers shop, nose, office, peach, rat, jammed, leaf, noozed, sing Lock picker: nubbing, scragged, gilt stretched, swing Lock picking: Hangman: black art, dub lay Derrick, Jack Ketch, Ketch, nubbing cove, sheriff's journeyman, topping cove, turned off -J-

Hideout: Judge etc: dive, fencing ken, flash beak, fortune teller, queer ken, stalling ken, stop hole cuffin -M- abbey, stuling ken

Highway: pad Man: cove Highwayman: colt, gentleman's master, Mistress of brothel: high pad, knight of the -K- abbess, aunt road, land pirate, rank rider Kill: Money: crash, use up caravan, iron, King's Highway robberry: pictures, lowre, plate, recruiting service poney, rag, ready, rhino, ribbin, wedge Hit: click Mugger: ding boy Honest man: cull -L- Murder: hush House: Lantern: ken, panny darkee, glim

Housebreaker: Lawyer:

Police officer: Riot: bandog, bus napper, bus hubbub -N- napper kenchin, hamlet, harman, moabites, Naked: myrmidons, night abram magistrate, pig

Night: Priest: darkmans autem bawler -S- Prison: Bilboes, boarding school, Secure: porridge, pound, queer rug ken, quod, repository, sheriff's hotel, shop, Shackles: spring-ankle warehouse darbies, King's plate, -O- ruffles, slang Prison ship: Oath: floating hell Sheep stealing: cap, earnest, rap (false), bleating rig salmon Prisoner: jail bird, queer birds Shoplifter: Bob Prostitute: aunt, bat, bawd, buttock Staff: and file, cattle, fen, laced jordain mutton, public ledger, queer mort, tail Steal: -P- bite, bite the blow, cloy, Purse: curbing law, heave, hoist, Palming: boung, dummee, reader lift, nim, prad lay fam lay, pauming Purse, cut: Stocks: Pawn: boung nipper Bilboes, parenthesis, pop, vamp penance board, wooden ruff Pawnbrokers: pop shop, two to one shop Stolen: ard, made Pickpocket: Adam Tiler, anabaptist, Swap: autem divers, bung -R- bug, ring the changes nipper, buzman, foyst, natty lad, nypper, reader Receiver of stolen goods: merchants family man, fence

Picking pockets: Rich: dive, figging law, forking equipt, oak

Pocket: Ring: -T- cly jem, onion Tavern owner: content, provendor beggar maker

Theft: game

Thief: Adam Tiler, anabaptist, anglers, ark ruffians, -W- autem divers, bawdy basket, blue pigeons, Bob, Whipping: bubber, bufe napper, bung air and exercise, cly the nipper, buzman, canters, jerk, flogging, hue, teize canting crew, Captain Sharp, clank napper, Whipping post: cloyes,cracksman, draw jigger latches, dromedary, fagger, fidlam ben, filcher, Widow: footpad, foyst, gallows ace of spades, hempen bird, gilt,glazier, hooker, widow (if husband was kiddeys, little snakesman, hanged) lully priggers, made man, moon curser, napper of Witness, fake: naps,natty lads, nypper, affidavit man, knight of old hand, pad borrowers, the post poulterer, priggers, priggers of prancers, Woman: priggers of cacklers, queer mort, mot cove, reader merchant, ressurection men, Robert's Wound: men, rovers, shoplifter, beef sneak, swaddler, tayle drawer, waterpad, whip jack

Thief, head: Arch Rogue, Dimber Damber, Prince Prig, Upright Man

Thieves cant: flash lingo, gibberish, patter flash, slang

-V- Victim: