Vocabulum; or The Rogue's Lexicon Compiled from the Most Authentic Sources

When a young man enters upon the business of life, he may have some indefinite idea of what he intends to follow out to the close thereof; but he soon finds himself surrounded b...

CONFIDENCE MAN. A fellow that by means of extraordinary powers of persuasion gains the confidence of his victims to the extent of drawing upon their treasury, almost to an unlim...

GLAZE. Break the glass. "I say, Bill, you mill the glaze, and I'll touch the swag and mizzle," I say, Bill, you break the glass, and I will steal the goods and run away.

MOEY. A petition. A convict would say to another: "My pals have got up a bene moey to send to the head bloke, and if it comes off rye buck, I shall soon vamose from the stir; bu...

REGULARS. Share or portion. "The coves cracked the swell's crib, fenced the swag, and then each bloke napped his regulars," the fellows broke open a gentleman's house, sold the...

WEEDING. Taking a part and leaving the balance in such a manner as not to excite suspicion. When a thief abstracts a portion from the plunder without the knowledge of his pals,...

BETTING ON TIME. This frequently occurs when the character of a party is such that he can be trusted to pay the money he borrows or the debts he incurs. If his character is good...

Played out their lay, it will be said A hundred stretches hence, With shovels they were put to bed A hundred stretches since! Some rubbed to whit had napped a winder, And some w...