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Flash the patter
- Thieves in England would “flash the patter” (talk the slang) to allow pickpockets to communicate without notice.
owlcation.com/humanities/Patter-Flash-The-Secret-Language-of-Thieves-and-Pickpockets-in-London
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- Blag. To “blag” means to carry out a robbery or steal something. It is often used to describe a successful or audacious theft. For example, “He managed to blag his way into the bank vault and steal all the money.”
- Bleed Dry. To “bleed someone dry” means to take all their money or resources, often through dishonest or illegal means. For instance, “The con artist bled the old man dry by convincing him to invest in a fake business.”
- Bogart. To “bogart” means to selfishly or unfairly keep something for oneself, often by stealing or hoarding it. For example, “He bogarted all the snacks at the party and didn’t share with anyone.”
- Boost. To “boost” means to steal or shoplift something, typically in a quick and surreptitious manner. For instance, “He managed to boost a wallet from the crowded market without anyone noticing.”
- Appropriator
- Cribber
- Swiper
- Poacher
- Sticky Fingers
- Tea Leaf
- Twocker
- Rustler
- Jackroller
- Nicholas’ Clerk
Starting off with one we might call a euphemism rather than outright slang, we have “appropriator”. This one is fairly straightforward—to appropriate something is to take it from its rightful owners. By extension, to be an appropriator is to be a thief. “I won’t leave my things lying around with that appropriator about,” for example. This one is a ...
To be a cribber has perhaps a slightly more specific meaning than just a thief. However, it has over time developed to mean simply a thief to some British English speakers. Originally, and still today for many people, a cribber is someone who plagiarizes the work of others. They “crib” from them, making them a sort of “intellectual thief”. “That wa...
This is another one that is more or less self-explanatory. To swipe something is to take it swiftly and stealthily, without the owner’s permission. Out of this arose the noun “swiper” to mean a thief, someone who takes things that aren’t theirs. The sense could range from someone who might steal a fry from your plate to a full-on, career pickpocket...
Next we have “poacher”, a word with a variety of associations in English. As slang, though, in Britain, to be a poacher means to be a thief. Again, it can have very broad or very specific connotations. On the one hand, it might simply mean any kind of thief. It can be someone who tries to steal wild game illegally. On the other, it can also mean so...
“Sticky fingers” is perhaps among the more common slang terms in Britain today for a thief. To have sticky fingers means exactly what it sounds like. Someone who cannot seem to put things down which are not their own, to whose fingers valuable objects seem to “stick”. Most people throughout Britain will understand what this term is trying to expres...
“Tea leaf” might sound a strange and unfamiliar slang term even to a lot of British people. It is a highly regional example, being a piece of Cockney rhyming slang. The simple explanation of the meaning is that “tea leaf” rhymes with “thief”. Such is the way that rhyming slang works. “I’m not inviting that tea leaf to the wedding, I’ll never see th...
Twocker is another one with a variety of potential meanings. It can just have the general sense of thief of any kind. However, more commonly, a twocker or twoccer is someone who steals cars for the purpose of joyriding. It’s generally understood to have this meaning, although some may indeed use it in the sense of just any thief. This slang term is...
Next we have “rustler”, another historically very specific term which has broadened to become a more general slang term for thief. In the past, one who “rustles” was someone who stole cattle or other livestock from farms and ranches. In Britain today, it can just mean any kind of thief, though it is not the most common slang term. The word originat...
“Jackroller” is another quite specific term that has been used both in Britain and in the US for some time. This term refers to a certain kind of thief, someone who targets drunken or incapacitated people for stealing. It’s perhaps not the most common slang term in Britain today and is somewhat obsolete, but is still understood by many people. “Wat...
Though this one is more of an archaism, it’s still a very interesting example of British slang for thief. You are probably familiar with St. Nicholas, the patron saint of children, giver of gifts and the basis for Santa Clause. But in fact that very same 4thCentury bishop was also the patron saint of thieves. In this way, to be his “clerk” meant to...
Sure, you could call someone a thief. But why not get obscure and specific with these rare and interesting words for someone who steals things instead? Featuring yeggs, jackrollers, footpads, and more
Sep 14, 2023 · Back slang: A code language used among thieves where words are spelled backward to conceal their meaning. Knee trembler: A quick and discreet sexual encounter, often used in a criminal context to refer to secretive rendezvous for illegal dealings.
- He was a burglar, known for night jobs.
- A masked robber took all their cash.
- She’s a cunning swindler, duping many victims.
- Late at night, a mugger approached her.
The origins of Cant/Argot, also known as Thieves Slang, can be traced back centuries. Formed as a chimera language, a polyglot many headed beast, it takes its influences from Persia, India and even Anglo Saxon England.
Jun 28, 2017 · Thieves’ Cant, also known as Flash or Peddler’s French, existed in many forms across Europe. The cant flourished in England during a 16th-century population boom, when less work was available...
