The Complete Dictionary
A comprehensive collection of Thieves' Cant terminology
Showing 422 of 422 entries
A
Abbess
The mistress of a brothelAbram
NakedAbram cove
A naked or poor man; also a lusty strong rogueAbram men
A beggar who pretends to be madAcademy
BrothelAce of spades
A widowAcorn
To ride a horse foaled by an acorn is to be hanged on the gallowsAdam Tiler
A pickpocket's associate who receives stolen goods and runs off with themAffidavit Men
A witness for hire who will swear to anything in courtAir and exercise
Whipped at the cart's tailAmbidexter
A lawyer who garners fees from both plaintiff and defenderAmuse
To fling dust into the eyes of someone to rob them; to deceive a shopkeeperAmusers
A rogue who uses deception to robAnabaptist
A pickpocket caught and punished by being thrown into a pondAnglers
Petty thieves who steal goods with a hooked stick; those who draw in victimsAngling for coppers
Begging from a prison window with a cup on a stringArch Rogue
The chief of a gang of thievesArd
Hot, stolenArk
A boatArk ruffians
River pirates who rob and murder passengersArtichoke
Hang (see hearty choke)Aunt
A prostitute or procurerAutem Bawler
A priestAutem Divers
Pickpockets who operate in churchesAutem Mort
A female beggar who hires children to inspire charityB
Babes in the wood
Criminals in the stocks or pilloryBadge
One who has had their hand burned as punishment for theftBandog
A bailiff or sheriffBarrow man
A man under sentence of transportBat
A common prostituteBawd
A prostituteBawdy basket
Criminal who sells items door to door but stealsBeak
A justice of the peace or magistrateBeef
To cry beef is to give an alarm; to be in a man's beef is to wound himBeggar maker
A tavern ownerBeilby's Ball
To dance with Beilby's ball is to be hangedBen
A foolBene
GoodBene Bowse
Good beerBene Cove
Good fellowBene Darkmans
Good nightBene feaker
CounterfeiterBess
A crow barBetty
A crow barBilboes
The stocks or prisonBilk
To cheat or conBing
To go or escapeBingo
Brandy or other spiritBingo boy
A drinker of brandyBingo mort
A female drinker of brandyBirds of a feather
Rogues of the same gangBite
To stealBlack art
The art of picking a lockBlack box
A lawyerBlasted fellow
An abandoned rogue or prostituteBlater
A stolen calfBleaters
Those cheated by a Jack in the BoxBleating rig
Sheep stealingBlow
To bite the blow is to steal the goodsBlue pigeons
Thieves who steal lead off buildingsBluffer
An inn keeperBlunt
MoneyBoarding school
A prisonBob
Shoplifter's assistant; one who receives stolen goodsBoned
Seized, arrestedBoung
A purseBoung nipper
A cut purseBrimstone
An abandoned woman or thiefBubber
A thief who steals from tavernsBufe
A dogBufe nabber
A dog thiefBug
To exchange a material for one of less valueBung nipper
A pickpocketBurning the ken
To flee a tavern without payingBus napper
A constableBus nappers kenchin
A watchmanButtock and file
A prostitute who steals from clientsButton
A fake coinBuzman
A pickpocketC
Cackle
To inform on a thiefCalle
A cloak or gown worn as disguiseCanters
Thieves or beggarsCanting Crew
Thieves or beggarsCap
Take an oathCaptain Sharp
A person who bullies those who refuse to pay gambling debtsCaravan
A large sum of money; one cheated of a large sumCattle
Prostitutes or gipsiesCharactered
To have your hand burnt as punishment for theftCharm
A lockpickChatts
The gallowsClank
A silver tankardClank napper
A silver tankard stealerClear
Very drunkClick
To hitClicker
The person who divides booty between thievesClimb up a ladder to bed
To be hangedCloy
StealCloyes
ThievesCly
A pocketCly the jerk
To be whippedCockles, to cry
To be hangedColt
One who lends a horse to a highwayman; an apprentice thiefConfect
CounterfeitedContent
A person murdered for resisting a robberyCove
A manCracksman
A house breakerCramp word
The sentence of deathCrash
KillCrop
HangCull
An honest manCullability
Easily cheatedCurbing law
The act of hooking items out of a windowCursitor
A bad lawyerD
Dangle
HangDarbies
Chains, handcuffsDarby
Easy moneyDarkee
A dark or hooded lanternDarkmans
Night timeDawb
BribeDeadly nevergreen
GallowsDerrick
A hangmanDie hard
Show no fear or remorse at the gallowsDimber Damber
A chief thiefDing Boy
A muggerDive
To pick a pocket; a thieves hideoutDommerer
A beggar who pretends to be muteDrag
To follow a cart or wagon to rob itDraw-latches
Robbers of housesDrawing the King's picture
Counterfeiting coinsDromedary
A bungling thiefDub
A lockpickDub Lay
To rob a house by picking its lockDummee
A pocket book or purseDumps
Coins made of leadE
Earnest
A promise to payEquipt
Well dressed, richF
Fagger
A small boy passed through a window to open a doorFam lay
Palming an item to steal itFamily man
A receiver of stolen goodsFams
GlovesFen
A prostituteFence
To sell stolen goods; one who buys stolen goodsFencing ken
A place where stolen goods are hiddenFidlam ben
ThievesFigging law
The art of picking pocketsFigure dancer
One who alters numbers on notes of creditFilcher
A petty thief who uses a hookFlash ken
A thieves hideoutFlash lingo
Thieves cantFloating hell
A prison shipFlog
To whipFob
CheatFootpad
A common thiefFork
To pick a pocketFortune teller
A judgeFoyst
A pickpocketFrummagemmed
Strangled or hangedFun
A cheat or a trickFuzz
To pretend to shuffle a deck of cardsG
Gallows bird
A thief or pickpocketGame
Any mode of robberyGamon
To deceiveGaoler's coach
A cart used to take felons to executionGentleman's master
A highwaymanGibberish
Thieves cantGilt
A thief who picks locksGinny
A crowbarGlazier
A thief who breaks windows to stealGlim
A lantern used in housebreakingGrease
BribeGregorian tree
GallowsGudgeon
A gullible personGull
A gullible person; to cheat someoneH
Hamlet
A senior constableHang gallows look
A villainous appearanceHang in chains
A vile, desperate personHarman
A constableHarmans
The stocksHearty choke
To be hangedHeave
To robHempen fever
Death by hangingHempen widow
One whose husband was hangedHigh pad
A highwaymanHike
To run awayHoist
To rob by entering through open windowsHoodwink
Blindfold or fool someoneHooked
CapturedHookers
Petty thieves who use hooksHubbub
A riotHue
To whipHush
MurderHush money
A bribeI
Iron
MoneyIronmongers shop
To keep an ironmongers shop is to be hung in chainsJ
Jack in a box
A card sharperJack Ketch
HangmanJail bird
PrisonerJammed
HangedJem
A gold ringJemmy
A crow barJigger
Whipping postJordain
A stick or staff used by muggersJuggler's box
The device used to burn criminals' handsJukrum
Permission from the head of a thieves guild to operateK
Kate
A lockpickKen
A houseKen Cracker
HousebreakerKen Miller
HousebreakerKetch
HangmanKiddeys
Young thievesKing's pictures
MoneyKing's plate
Chains, shacklesKnight of the blade
A bullyKnight of the post
A man willing to give fake evidence for moneyKnight of the road
A highwaymanL
Laced mutton
A prostituteLag
A man transported for a crimeLand pirate
A highwaymanLay
DangerLeaf
To go with the fall of the leaf is to be hangedLift
StealLightmans
DaytimeLittle snakesman
A small boy passed through a window to open a doorLong tongued
Unable to keep a secretLowre
MoneyLully priggers
Thieves who steal wet clothes off linesLurch
To be left in the lurch is to be betrayedM
Mad Tom
A beggar who feigns madnessMade
StolenMade man
A member of the thieves guildMaunding
BeggingMilch cow
One who is easily tricked out of moneyMoabites
BailiffsMobility
The commoners (pun on nobility)Moon curser
A thief who uses darkness as coverMoon men
GipsiesMorning drop
The gallowsMort
A womanMoss
Lead stolen off buildingsMot
A womanMyrmidons
ConstablesN
Nab
To seizeNab the stoop
To be put in the stocksNapper
A cheat or thiefNapper of naps
A sheep stealerNatty lads
Young thieves or pickpocketsNeck weed
Hemp to be made into ropeNeedle point
A card sharperNew drop
The gallowsNewman's lift
The gallowsNig
Metal clipped off a coin by a criminalNight magistrate
A constableNim
To steal or pilferNip
A cheatNoisy dog racket
Stealing brass door knockersNoozed
Hanged (or married)Nose
An informer who betrays colleaguesNubbing
HangingNubbing cheat
The gallowsNubbing cove
The hangmanNubbing ken
The courthouseNypper
A cutpurseO
Oak
A rich manOaken towel
A cudgelOffice
To give office is to inform constables of a thief's activitiesOld hand
An experienced thiefOnion
A seal or signet ringOverseer
A man in the pillory or stocksP
Pad
The highwayPad borrowers
Horse thievesPalaver
A tale told to avoid blame for a crimePanny
HouseParenthesis
The stocksParings
Metal clipped off a coin by a criminalPatter flash
To use thieves cantPaum
Conceal in the handPeach
Turn informerPeeper
A spying glass (telescope)Penance board
The pilloryPetty fogger
A lawyer willing to take any casePig
An officer of the lawPigeon
A person easy to cheatPlate
Money, silver, goldPlump in the pocket
WealthyPoney
MoneyPop
PawnPop shop
PawnbrokersPorridge
PrisonPosse mobilitatis
A mob chasing a criminalPoulterer
One who opens mail to steal money insidePound
PrisonPrad
A horsePrad lay
Cutting saddlebags to steal contentsPrig
A thiefPrig napper
A bounty hunter who catches thievesPriggers
ThievesPriggers of cacklers
Robbers of henhousesPriggers of prancers
Horse thievesPrince Prig
Head of a group of thievesProvendor
The victim of a thiefPublic ledger
A prostitutePull
ArrestPuzzle-cause
A lawyer who doesn't understand the caseQ
Quarromes
A bodyQueer
To confuse someoneQueer bail
Someone who pretends to have money to act as suretyQueer birds
A person who returns to crime after releaseQueer bit makers
Counterfeiters of coinsQueer bung
An empty purseQueer cove
A thiefQueer cuffin
A justice of the peaceQueer ken
A prisonQueer mort
A diseased prostituteQuod
PrisonQuota
A thief's share of bootyR
Rag
Paper moneyRank rider
A highwaymanRap
Taking a false oathRascal
Rogue or villainRat
An informer; to turn informerRattling cove
A coachmanRattling mumpers
Beggars who beg from coachesReader
A pocket book or purseReader merchants
PickpocketsReady
MoneyRecruiting service
Highway robberyRepository
A gaolResurrection men
Those who steal bodies from churchyardsRhino
MoneyRibbin
MoneyRinging the changes
Exchanging silver coins for less valuable metalRoast
ArrestRobert's men
Successful thievesRot gut
Cheap spiritous liquorRovers
Pirates, wandering thievesRub
Run awayRufflers
Beggars who pretend to be wounded soldiersRuffles
Chains or shacklesRug
Safe and secureRum
Fine, good, valuableRum beck
A justice of the peaceRum bite
A clever trickRum bob
A skilled apprentice thiefRum bung
A full purseRum cod
A purse filled with goldRum diver
A skilled pickpocketRum dubber
A skilled lock pickerRum file
A skilled pickpocketRum fun
A clever trickRum pad
The highwayRum padders
Skilled and successful highwaymenRum prancer
A good horseRushers
Home invadersS
Salmon
An oath taken by a beggarScapegallows
One who deserves and has escaped the gallowsScragg'em fair
A public executionScragged
HangedScrew
A lock pick or skeleton keySham
A trickSharper
A con manSheriff's ball
An executionSheriff's hotel
PrisonSheriff's journeyman
HangmanSheriff's picture frame
GallowsShop
PrisonShoplifter
One who steals from a shopSing
Call out, informSlang
Chains or shackles; thieves cantSlipgibbet
One who escaped the gallowsSnap the glaze
Break a windowSnapt
CapturedSneak
A pilfererSnoozing ken
BrothelSop
A bribeSpring-ankle warehouse
PrisonSqueak
Escape; to confessSqueakers
Organ pipesStalling ken
Place where stolen goods can be soldStar the glaze
Break a jeweller's windowStoop
The pilloryStop hole abbey
The central hideout for a thieves guildStretching
HangingStuling ken
Place where stolen goods can be soldSwaddler
A thief who beats and murders victimsSwag
BootySweating
Removing metal from a coin using chemicalsSwing
HangT
Tail
A prostituteTayle drawers
A thief who steals swords from beltsTeize
A floggingThatch-gallows
A man of poor characterThief takers
Someone who associates with thieves to arrest themThree legged stool
The gallowsThree-legged mare
The gallowsTom of Bedlam
A beggar who feigns madnessTopping cheat
The gallowsTopping cove
HangmanTouch
ArrestTrounce
PunishTucked up
HangedTurn off
HangTurncoat
One who has betrayed friendsTwig
Realise that something is upTwo to one shop
PawnbrokersU
Underdubber
A prison guardUpright Man
Chief thief of a guildUsed up
KilledV
Vamp
PawnVarlets
CriminalsVincent's law
The art of cheating at cardsVowel
To write an I.O.U.W
Waterpad
River pirateWedge
Silver plateWell-oaked
WealthyWhack
A share of booty obtained by fraudWhip jacks
Thieves who pretend to be sailorsWiper
HandkerchiefWiper drawer
A pickpocket who steals handkerchiefsWooden ruff
PilloryWry neck day
Day of executionY
Yelp
Cry out for the policeZ
Zad
A very crooked person