| 18th Century Thieves Cant |
|---|
| Money |
| Money : Coinage |
|---|
| BAUBEE | Halfpenny; as The Cove ript the Maund but a single Baubee lets souse him for it i.e. The Gentleman has given the Beggar but a single Halfpenny; lets plunder him for his Niggardliness. | 1737 |
| BAWBEE | A halfpenny. Scotch. | 1811 |
| BEAN | A guinea. Half bean; half a guinea. | 1811 |
| BEAN | a guinea. | 1819 |
| BENDER | a sixpence. | 1819 |
| BOB | A shilling. | 1811 |
| BOB or BOBSTICK | a shilling. | 1819 |
| BORDE | Shilling, Half a Borde, Six-pence. | 1737 |
| BORDE | A shilling. A half borde; a sixpence. | 1811 |
| BRADS | halfpence; also, money in general. | 1819 |
| BULL | A crown piece. A half bull; half a crown. | 1811 |
| BULL | a crown, or five shillings. | 1819 |
| BULLS EYE | A crown-piece. | 1811 |
| BULLS-EYE | Crown or Five Shilling Piece. | 1737 |
| COACH-WHEEL | A Fore-Coach-Wheel Half a Crown. A Hind-Coach-Wheel, a Crown or Five-shilling Piece. | 1737 |
| COACH-WHEEL | a dollar or crown-piece. | 1819 |
| COB | Irish Dollar. | 1737 |
| COB | A Spanish dollar. | 1811 |
| CRIPPLE | Sixpence; that piece being commonly much bent and distorted. | 1811 |
| CROKER | Groat or Fourpence. The Cull tipt me a Croker, the Fellow gave me a Groat. | 1737 |
| CROKER | A groat, or four pence. | 1811 |
| CROOK | Sixpence. | 1811 |
| CROOK | a sixpence. | 1819 |
| CROOK BACK | Sixpence; for the reason of this name, see CRIPPLE. | 1811 |
| DACE | Two-pence; Tip me a Dace, Lend me Two-pence, or pay so much for me | 1737 |
| DACE | Two pence. Tip me a dace; lend me two pence. CANT. | 1811 |
| DECUS | Crown or Five Shilling Piece. | 1737 |
| DEWS WINS, or DEUX WINS | Two-pence. Cant. | 1811 |
| DEWS-WINS | or Deux-wins; Two-pence | 1737 |
| DUCE | Two pence. | 1737 |
| DUCE | Two-pence. | 1811 |
| DUCE | Twopence is called a duce. | 1819 |
| FADGE | a farthing. | 1819 |
| FIVE SHILLINGS | The sign of five shillings, i.e. the crown. Fifteen shillings; the sign of the three crowns. | 1811 |
| FLAG | A groat. CANT.--The flag of defiance, or bloody flag is out; signifying the man is drunk, and alluding to the redness of his face. SEA PHRASE. | 1811 |
| GEORGE | Half-Crown piece. | 1737 |
| GEORGE | Yellow George; a guinea. Brown George: an ammunition loaf. | 1811 |
| GRIG | Farthing; A merry Grig, a merry Fellow. | 1737 |
| GRIG | A farthing. A merry grig; a fellow as merry as a grig: an allusion to the apparent liveliness of a grig, or young eel. | 1811 |
| HALF A HOG | Six-Pence. | 1737 |
| HALF A HOG | Sixpence. | 1811 |
| HALF AN OUNCE | Half a Crown. | 1737 |
| HALFBORD | Six-Pence. | 1737 |
| HEARTS-EASE | Twenty Shilling Piece. | 1737 |
| HOG | Shilling; You Darkman Budge, will you Fence your Hog at the next Boozing Ken? you House-Creeper, will you spend your Shilling at the next Ale-house. | 1737 |
| HOG | A shilling. To drive ones hogs; to snore: the noise made by some persons in snoring, being not much unlike the notes of that animal. He has brought his hogs to a fine market; a saying of any one who has been remarkably successful in his affairs, and is spoken ironically to signify the contrary. A hog in armour; an awkward or mean looking man or woman, finely dressed, is said to look like a hog in armour. To hog a horses mane; to cut it short, so that the ends of the hair stick up like hogs bristles. | 1811 |
| HUSKY-LOUR | Jobe, or Guinea. | 1737 |
| HUSKYLOUR | A guinea, or job. Cant. | 1811 |
| ILL FORTUNE | Nine-pence. | 1737 |
| JACK | Farthing; He woud not tip me a Jack, Not a Farthing woud he give me. | 1737 |
| JACK | A farthing, a small bowl serving as the mark for bowlers. An instrument for pulling off boots. | 1811 |
| JOB | A guinea. | 1811 |
| JOBE | Guinea, Twenty Shillings, or a Piece. Half a Jobe, Half a Guinea. | 1737 |
| KICK | Six-pence: Two, Three, Four, etc. and a Kick; Two, Three, Four, etc. Shillings and Six-pence. | 1737 |
| LOON-SLATE | Thirteen-pence Half-penny. | 1737 |
| LOONSLATE | Thirteen pence halfpenny. | 1811 |
| MAGG | A halfpenny. | 1811 |
| MAKE | Half-penny. | 1737 |
| MAKE | A halfpenny. CANT. | 1811 |
| MOPUS | Half-penny or Farthing. | 1737 |
| PIG | Six-pence. The Cull tipt me a Pig, The Man gave me Six pence. | 1737 |
| PIG | Sixpence, a sows baby. Pig-widgeon; a simpleton. To pig together; to lie or sleep together, two or more in a bed. Cold pig; a jocular punishment inflicted by the maid seryants, or other females of the house, on persons lying over long in bed: it consists in pulling off all the bed clothes, and leaving them to pig or lie in the cold. To buy a pig in a poke; to purchase any thing without seeing. Pigs eyes; small eyes. Pigsnyes; the same: a vulgar term of endearment to a woman. He can have boiled pig | 1811 |
| RAG | Farthing. Not a Rag left; I have lost or spent all my Money. | 1737 |
| RAG | Bank notes. Money in general. The cove has no rag; the fellow has no money. | 1811 |
| RIDGE | A guinea. Ridge cully; a goldsmith. CANT. | 1811 |
| SCREEN | A bank note. Queer screens; forged bank notes. The cove was twisted for smashing queer screens; the fellow was hanged for uttering forged bank notes. | 1811 |
| SCROPE | A farthing. CANT. | 1811 |
| SHE LION | A shilling. | 1811 |
| SICE | Six-pence. | 1737 |
| SICE | Sixpence. | 1811 |
| SIGN OF THE: FIVE SHILLINGS | The crown. TEN SHILLINGS. The two crowns. FIFTEEN SHILLINGS. The three crowns. | 1811 |
| SIMON | Six-pence. | 1737 |
| SIMON | Sixpence. Simple Simon: a natural, a silly fellow; Simon Suck-egg, sold his wife for an addle duck-egg. | 1811 |
| SLATE | Half Crown; also the same as Slot. | 1737 |
| SMELTS | Half-Guineas. | 1737 |
| THREPPS | Three-pence. | 1737 |
| THRUMS | Three Pence. Tip me Thrums; Lend me Three Pence. | 1737 |
| TRES-WINS | Three Pence. | 1737 |
| TRESWINS | Threepence. | 1811 |
| TROOPER | half Crown. | 1737 |
| TWELVER | Shilling. | 1737 |
| WIN | Penny. | 1737 |
| YELLOW-BOY | Guinea, or Piece of Gold of any Coin. | 1737 |
| Money : General Terms for Money |
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| BALSAM | Money. | 1811 |
| BALSOM | Money: The Cove has secured the Balsom, i.e. He has seized the Money. | 1737 |
| BIT | Money. He grappled the culls bit; he seized the mans money. A bit is also the smallest coin in Jamaica, equal to about sixpence sterling. | 1811 |
| BIT | money in general. | 1819 |
| BLUNT | Money. Cant. | 1811 |
| BLUNT | money. | 1819 |
| BUN | A common name for a rabbit, also for the monosyllable. To touch bun for luck; a practice observed among sailors going on a cruize. | 1811 |
| BUSTLE | a cant term for money. | 1819 |
| CHINK | Money, so calld because it chinks in the Pocket. | 1737 |
| CHINK | Money. | 1811 |
| CLY | Money; also a pocket. He has filed the cly; he has picked a pocket. CANT. | 1811 |
| COLE | Money. | 1737 |
| COLE | Money. Post the cole: pay down the money. | 1811 |
| COLIANDER, or CORIANDER SEEDS | Money. | 1811 |
| CRAP | Money. Nim the Crap; Steal the Money. Wheedle for Crap; To coax Money out of any Body | 1737 |
| CROP | Money. | 1737 |
| DIMMOCK | money. | 1819 |
| DUES | This term is sometimes used to express money, where any certain sum or payment is spoken of; a man asking for money due to him for any service done, or a blowen requiring her previous compliment from a familyman, would say, Come, tip us the dues. So a thief, requiring his share of booty frem his palls, will desire them to bring the dues to light. | 1819 |
| DUES | This word is often introduced by the lovers of flash on many occasions, but merely out of fancy, and can only be understood from the context of their discourse ; like many other cant terms, it is not easily explained on paper: for example, speaking of a man likely to go to jail, one will say, there will be quodding dues concerned, of a man likely to be executed ; there will be topping dues, if any thing is alluded to that will require a fee or bribe, there must be tipping dues, or palming dues concerned, &c. | 1819 |
| DUST | Money; Down with your Dust, Deposite your Money | 1737 |
| DUST | Money. Down with your dust; deposit the money. To raise or kick up a dust; to make a disturbance or riot: see BREEZE. Dust it away; drink about. | 1811 |
| GELT | Money. | 1737 |
| GELT | Money, GERMAN.--Also, castrated. | 1811 |
| GINGER-BREAD | Money. | 1737 |
| GOREE | Money but chiefly Gold. | 1737 |
| GOREE | Money, chiefly gold: perhaps from the traffic carried on at that place, which is chiefly for gold dust. CANT. | 1811 |
| IRON | Money in general. To polish the kings iron with ones eyebrows; to look out of grated or prison windows, or, as the Irishman expresses them, the iron glass windows. Iron doublet; a prison. See STONE DOUBLET. | 1811 |
| KELTER | Money. | 1811 |
| KINGs PICTURES | Money. | 1737 |
| KINGS PICTURES | Coin, money. | 1811 |
| LOUR | Money. | 1737 |
| LOWRE | Money. Cant. | 1811 |
| LURRIES | Money, Watches, Rings, or other Moveables. | 1737 |
| LURRIES | Money, watches, rings, or other moveablcs. | 1811 |
| MOPUSSES | Money. | 1811 |
| MUCK | Money, Wealth. | 1737 |
| MUCK | Money; also dung. | 1811 |
| PLATE | Money, silver, prize. He is in for the plate; he has won the KEAT, i.e. is infected with the venereal disorder: a simile drawn from hofse-racing. When the plate fleet comes in; when money comes to hand. | 1811 |
| PONEY | Money. Post the poney; lay down the money. | 1811 |
| PREY | Money. | 1737 |
| QUIDDS | Cash, or ready Money. Can you tip me any Quidds? Can you lend me any Money. | 1737 |
| QUIDS | Cash, money. Can you tip me any quids? can you lend me some money? | 1811 |
| RECRUITS | Money (expected.) Have yuo raisd the Recruits? Is the Money come in? | 1737 |
| RHINO | ready Money. | 1737 |
| RHINO | Money. CANT. | 1811 |
| RIBBIN | Money. The Ribbin Runs shick; his Breeches are well lined with Money. The Ribbin runs thin, He has but little Cash about him. | 1737 |
| RIBBIN | Money. The ribbin runs thick; i.e. there is plenty of money. CANT. Blue ribbin. Gin. The cull lushes the blue ribbin; the silly fellow drinks common gin. | 1811 |
| ROULEAU | A number of guineas, from twenty to fifty or more, wrapped up in paper, for the more ready circulation at gaming-tables: sometimes they are inclosed in ivory boxes, made to hold exactly 20, 50, or 100 guineas. | 1811 |
| ROUND SUM | A considerable sum. | 1811 |
| Money : Good Money and Bad |
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| BROWNS and WHISTLERS | bad halfpence and farthings ; (a term used by coiners.) | 1819 |
| CURLE | Clippings of Money. | 1737 |
| CURLE | Clippings of money, which curls up in the operation. CANT. | 1811 |
| NIG | Clippings of Money. | 1737 |
| NIG | The clippings of money. Nigging; clipping. Nigler, a clipper. Cant. | 1811 |
| PARINGS | Clippings of Money. | 1737 |
| PARINGS | The chippings of money. CANT. | 1811 |
| QUEERE-COLE | Clipt, counterfeit Money. | 1737 |
| RUM COLE | New money, or medals. | 1811 |
| RUM GHELT | See RUM COLE. CANT. | 1811 |
| RUM-COLE | New Money, or Medals curiously coind. | 1737 |
| RUM-GELT | Same as Rum-Cole. | 1737 |
| SHAVINGS | Clippings of Money. | 1737 |
| SHAVINGS | The clippings of money. | 1811 |
| TOWER | Cant Word, used to denote bad, or clipped Money: as, They have been round the Tower with it; te he Piece of Money has been clipt. | 1737 |
| TOWER | Clipped money: they have been round the tower with it. CANT. | 1811 |
| Money : Other Money Terms |
|---|
| CARAVAN | a good round Sum of Money about a Man; also him that is cheated of it. | 1737 |
| CARAVAN | A large sum of money; also, a person cheated of such sum. CANT. | 1811 |
| COD | a good Sum of Money; also a Fool. A meer Cod, a silly, shallow Fellow. A rum Cod; a good round Sum of Money. An honest Cod; a trusty Friend. | 1737 |
| COD | A cod of money: a good sum of money. | 1811 |
| DARBY | ready Money; as, The Cull tippd us the Darby; The Fellow gave us all his ready Money. | 1737 |
| DARBY | Ready money. CANT. | 1811 |
| FIDDLERS MONEY | All sixpences: sixpence being the usual sum paid by each couple, for music at country wakes and hops. Fiddlers fare; meat, drink, and money. Fiddlers pay; thanks and wine. | 1811 |
| PLUMB | An hundred thousand pounds. | 1811 |
| READER | A pocket-book. CANT. | 1811 |
| READY | The ready rhino; money. CANT. | 1811 |
| READY RHINO | Money in Possession. | 1737 |
| RUM BUNG | A full purse. CANT. | 1811 |
| RUM COD | A good purse of gold. CANT. | 1811 |
| RUM-BUNG | a full Purse. | 1737 |
| RUM-COD | a good Purse of Gold, or round Sum of Money. | 1737 |
| SOUSE | Not a Souse; not a Penny. From Sous, French Money. | 1737 |
| Money : Pecuniary Status |
|---|
| BREECH'D | flush of money. | 1819 |
| BREECHED | Money in the pocket: the swell is well breeched, lets draw him; the gentleman has plenty of money in his pocket, let us rob him. | 1811 |
| BUSH'D | poor; without money. | 1819 |
| EBB WATER | when there is but little money in the Pocket. | 1737 |
| EMPTY | as, The Cull looks Empty; or, Tis all Empty; i.e. the Person or House has not the Riches reported, or is not worth attempting. | 1737 |
| EQUIPT | rich; also having new Cloaths. Well equipt, plump in the Pocket, or very full of Money; also very well drest. The Cull equipt me with a Brace of Meggs, The Gentleman furnishd me with a Coupleof Guineas. | 1737 |
| EQUIPT | Rich; also, having new clothes. Well equipt; full of money, or well dressed. The cull equipped me with a brace of meggs; the gentleman furnished me with. a couple of guineas. | 1811 |
| FAT | rich, as, A Fat Cull; a rich Fellow. | 1737 |
| FAT CULL | A rich fellow. | 1811 |
| FLANDERS-FORTUNES | of small Substance. | 1737 |
| FLUSH IN THE POCKET | full of Money. The Cull is Flush in the Fob, the Sparks Pocket is well lind with Money. | 1737 |
| FLUSH IN THE POCKET | Full of money. The cull is flush in the fob. The fellow is full of money. | 1811 |
| LOW TIDE, or LOW WATER | When there is no money in a mans pocket. | 1811 |
| OAK | a rich Man, of good Substance and Credit. | 1737 |
| OAK | A rich maa, a man of good substance and credit. To sport oak; to shut the outward door of a students room at college. An oaken towel; an oaken cudgel. To rub a man down with an oaken towel; to beat him. | 1811 |
| PLATE FLEET COMES IN | when the Money comes to Hand. | 1737 |
| PLUMP IN THE POCKET | flush of Money. | 1737 |
| QUEER BUNG | An empty purse. | 1811 |
| QUEERE-BUNG | an empty Purse. | 1737 |
| SEEDY | poor, Money-less, exhausted. | 1737 |
| SEEDY | Poor, pennyless, stiver-cramped, exhausted. | 1811 |
| TICK | as, to run on Tick; To go on the Score, or Trust. | 1737 |
| TOPPING MAN | A rich man. | 1811 |
| UPPISH | rampant, crowing, full of Money. He is very Uppish; He is well-lined in the Fob; also brisk. | 1737 |
| WARM | well lined of flush in the Pocket. | 1737 |
| WIND-FALL | a great Fortune fallen unexpectedly by the Death of a Friend. | 1737 |
| Money : Related Terms |
|---|
| ALTAMEL | A verbal or lump account, without particulars, such as is commonly produced at bawdy-houses, spunging-houses, &c. Vide DUTCH RECKONING. | 1811 |
| ALTEMAL | Vide Dutch Reckoning. | 1737 |
| COME TO THE HEATH | a phrase signifying to pay or give money, and synonymous with Tipping, from which word it takes its rise, there being a place called Tiptree Heath, I believe, in the County of Essex. | 1819 |
| DUTCH RECKONING, or ALLE-MAL | A verbal or lump account, without particulars, as brought at spungiug or bawdy houses. | 1811 |
| DUTCH-RECKONING | or Alte-mall; a verbal or lump Accompt, without Particulars; as brought in at the Spunging-Houses, at Bawdy Houses, and other such like Places of ill Repute. | 1737 |
| FENCE | to spend, Fence his Hog, spend his Shilling. | 1737 |
| HARKING | whispering on one side to borrow Money. | 1737 |
| MELT | to spend Money. Will you melt a Borde? Will you spend your Shilling? The Cull melted a Couple of Decusses upon us; The Gentleman spent Ten Shillings upon us. | 1737 |
| RABBIT SUCKERS | Young spendthrifts taking up goods on trust at great prices. | 1811 |
| RABBIT-SUCKERS | young Unthrifts taking Goods on Tick of Pawnbrokers or Tallymen, at excessive Rates. | 1737 |
| Top SAIL | He paid his debts at Portsmouth with the topsail; i.e. he went to. sea and left them unpaid. SCT soldiers are said to pay off their scores with the drum; that is, by marching away. | 1811 |
| WINNINGS | Money, or Reward: Winnings for Wapping; Money given a Woman for lying with her. | 1737 |
| Money : Silver and Gold |
|---|
| MINT | Gold. | 1737 |
| MINT | Gold. A mint of money; common phrase for a large sum. | 1811 |
| MYNT | See MINT. | 1811 |
| OLD MR GORY | A piece of gold. | 1811 |
| OLD-MR-GORY | a Piece of Gold. | 1737 |
| SPANGLES | Ends of Gold or Silver. | 1737 |
| SPANKS | Money, Gold or Silver. | 1737 |
| WHITE WOOL | Silver. | 1737 |
| WITCHER | Silver. | 1737 |
| Money : Special Payments |
|---|
| BEVERAGE | Garnish-money. | 1737 |
| BEVERAGE | Garnish money, or money for drink, demanded of any one having a new suit of clothes. | 1811 |
| CHUMMAGE | Money paid by the richer sort of prisoners in the Fleet and Kings Bench, to the poorer, for their share of a room. When prisons are very full, which is too often the case, particularly on the eve of an insolvent act, two or three persons are obliged to sleep in a room. A prisoner who can pay for being alone, chuses two poor chums, who for a stipulated price, called chummage, give up their share of the room, and sleep on the stairs, or, as the term is, ruff it. | 1811 |
| GARNISH | An entrance fee demanded by the old prisoners of one just committed to gaol. | 1811 |
| GARNISH-MONEY | what is customarily spent among the Prisoners at first coming in. | 1737 |
| HANGMANS WAGES | Thirteen pence halfpenny; which, according to the vulgar tradition, was thus allotted: one shilling for the executioner, and three halfpence for the rope, --N. B. This refers to former times; the hangmen of the present day having, like other artificers, raised their prices. The true state of this matter is, that a Scottish mark was the fee allowed for an execution, and the value of that piece was settled by a proclamation of James I. at thirteen pence halfpenny. | 1811 |
| HUSH MONEY | Money given to hush up, or conceal a Robbery or Theft, or to take off an Evidence from appearing against a Criminal, etc. | 1737 |
| HUSH MONEY | Money given to hush up or conceal a robbery, theft, or any other offence, or to take off the evidence from appearing against a criminal. | 1811 |
| RING | Money extorted by Rogues on the Highway, or by Gentlemen Beggars. | 1737 |
| RING | Money procured by begging: beggars so called it from its ringing when thrown to them. Also a circle formed for boxers, wrestlers, and cudgel-players, by a man styled Vinegar; who, with his hat before his eyes, goes round the circle, striking at random with his whip to prevent the populace from crowding in. | 1811 |
