The Guide to Thieves Cant for AD&D (1st Edition) Compiled by Shaun Hately --==(AMBULANT IN FABULAM)==-- NOTE: AD&D is a registered trademark of TSR Inc. The use of this term is not intended as a challenge to the trademark status and ownership of TSR Inc. 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 AD&D 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 Guide to Thieves Cant for AD&D (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 and distribute 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 would like to thank all of those who have participated in my campaigns over the years. I would like to thank the denizens of the ADND-L list and REALMS e-mailing lists for the discussions that inspired this guide and for their kind comments and criticisms of my first guide ("The Guide to Herbs for AD&D") which have encouraged me to go further. I would also like to thank all those people who have compiled NetBooks and unofficial guides for all aspects of RPGs. I use a lot of them in my games and hope that my guides will be similarily useful to other people. I welcome contributions to further editions of this guides. Any contributions will be acknowledged. My e-mail address is: drednort@bud.swin.edu.au My snail mail address is: Mr Shaun Hately 45 Moreton St Frankston North Victoria 3200 AUSTRALIA Shaun Hately, 7th April 1996 CANT TO ENGLISH -A- Abbess: the mistress of a brothel Abram: naked Abram cove: a word used among thieves which signifies a naked or poor man. It can also mean a lusty strong rogue Abram men: a beggar who pretends to be mad To sham abram: to pretend to be sick Academy: brothel Ace of spades: a widow Acorn: to ride a horse foaled by an acorn, is to be hanged on the gallows Adam Tiler: a pickpockets associate, who receives the stolen goods, and runs off with them Affidavit Men: a witness for hire Someone who will swear to anything in court if paid to do so Air and exercise: he has had air and exercise, ie he has been whipped at the carts tail Ambidexter: a lawyer who garners fees from both plaintiff and defender To amuse: to fling dust into the eyes of the person intended to be robbed; also to invent some plausible tale to delude a shopkeeper in order to put them off their guard Amusers: a rogue who uses the above tactic Anabaptist: a pickpocket caught in the act, and punished by being thrown into a pond Anglers: pilferers or petty thieves who with a stick having a hook at the end, steal goods out of shop windows, grates etc. Also someone who 'draws in' victims in order to rob them Angling for coppers: begging out of a prison window with a cap or box let down on the end of a long string Arch Rogue: The chief of a gang of thieves or gipsies Ard: hot, stolen Ark: a boat Ark ruffians: rogues who in conjunction with watermen, robbed and sometimes murdered on the water by picking a quarrel with passengers in a boat, boarding it, plundering, stripping, and throwing them overboard Artichoke: hang (see hearty choke) Aunt: a prostitute or someone who procures prostitutes Avoir Du Pois Lay: stealing brass weights off the counters of shops Autem Bawler: a priest Autem Divers: pickpockets who operate in churches and temples Autem Mort: a female beggar who hires children in order to inspire charity -B- Babes in the wood: criminals in the stocks or pillory Badge: a term for one who has had his hand burned as punishment for theft Bandog: a bailiff or sheriff Barrow man: a man under sentence of transport Bat: a very common prostitute Bawd: a prostitute Bawdy basket: criminal who sells items from door to door, but makes most of their living by stealing Beak: a justice of the peace or magistrate Beef: to "cry beef" is to give an alarm. To "be in a mans beef" is to wound him with a sword Beggar maker: a man who owns a tavern Beilby's Ball: to "dance with Beilby's ball" is to be hung Bene: good Bene Bowse: good beer Bene Cove: good fellow Bene Darkmans: good night Bene feaker: counterfeiter Bene feakers of gybes: counterfeiter of false passes Ben: a fool Bess or Betty: a crow bar Bilboes: the stocks or prison Bilk: to cheat or con Bing: to go or escape Bingo: brandy or other spirit Bingo boy: a drinker of brandy Bingo mort: a female drinker of brandy Birds of a feather: rogues of the same gang Bite: to steal Black art: the art of picking a lot Black box: a lawyer Blasted fellow: an abandoned rogue or prostitute Blater: a stolen calf Bleaters: those cheated by a Jack in the Box (See Jack in the box) Bleating rig: sheep stealing Blow: to "bite the blow" is to steal the goods Blue pigeons: thieves who steal lead off houses and other buildings Bluffer: an inn keeper Blunt: money Boarding school: a prison Bob: shoplifter's assistant One who receives stolen goods Boned: seized, arrested Boung: a purse Boung nipper: a cut purse Brimstone: an abandoned woman or thief Bubber: a thief who steals from taverns Bufe: a dog Bufe nabber: a dog thief Bug: to exchange a material for one of less value Bung nipper: a pickpocket Burning the ken: to flee a tavern without paying your bill Bus napper: a constable Bus nappers kenchin: a watchman Buttock and file: a prostitute who steals from their clients Button: a fake coin Buzman: a pickpocket -C- Cackle: to inform on a thief Calle: a cloak or gown worn as a disguise Canters: thieves or beggars Canting Crew: thieves or beggars Cap: take an oath Captain Sharp: a person in a fixed game of chance whose job is to bully those who refuse to pay their debts Caravan: a large sum of money, or one who is cheated of a large sum of money Cattle: prostitutes or gipsies Charactered: to have your hand burnt as a punishment for theft Charm: a lockpick Chatts: the gallows Clank: a silver tankard Clank napper: a silver tankard stealer Clear: very drunk Click: to hit Clicker: the person who divides the booty between a group of thieves Climb up a ladder to bed: be hanged Cloy: steal Cloyes: thieves Cly: a pocket Cly the jerk: to be whipped Cockles, to cry: to be hanged Colt: one who lends a horse to a highway man, or an apprentice thief Confect: counterfeited Content: a person murdered for resisting a robbery Cove: a man Cracksman: a house breaker Cramp word: the sentence of death Crash: kill Crop: hang Cull: an honest man Cullability: easily cheated Curbing law: the act off hooking items out of a window (see angling) Cursitor: a bad lawyer -D- Dangle: hang Darbies: chains (handcuffs) Darby: easy money Darkee: a dark or hooded lantern Darkmans: night time Dawb: bribe Deadly nevergreen: gallows Derrick: a hangman Dimber Damber: a chief thief Ding Boy: a mugger Dive: to pick a pocket Dive: a thieves hideout Dommerer: a beggar who pretends to be mute Drag: to follow a cart or wagon in order to rob it Draw-latches: robbers of houses Drawing the King's picture: counterfeiting coins Dromedary: a bungling thief Dub: a lockpick Dub Lay: to rob a house by picking its lock Dummee: a pocket book or purse Dumps: coins made of lead Die hard: show no fear or remorse at the gallows -E- Earnest: a promise to pay Equipt: well dressed, rich -F- Fagger: a small boy passed through a window in order to open the door to a house Family man: a receiver of stolen goods Fam lay: palming an item in order to steal it Fams: gloves Fen: a prostitute Fence: to sell stolen goods One who buys stolen goods Fencing ken: a place where stolen goods are hidden Fidlam ben: thieves Figging law: the art of picking pockets Figure dancer: one who alters the numbers on notes of credit or other paper money Filcher: see angler Flash ken: a thieves hideout Flash lingo: thieves cant Floating hell: a prison ship Flog: to whip Fob: cheat Footpad: a common thief Fork: to pick a pocket Fortune teller: a judge Foyst: a pickpocket Frummagemmed: strangled or hanged Fun: a cheat or a trick Fuzz: to pretend to shuffle a deck of cards -G- Gallows bird: a thief or pickpocket or someone that associates with them Game: any mode of robbery Gamon: to deceive Gaoler's coach: a cart used to take felons to execution Gentleman's master: a highwayman Gibberish: thieves cant Gilt: a thief who picks locks Ginny: a crowbar Glazier: a thief who breaks windows in order to steal Glim: a lantern used in housebreaking Grease: bribe Gregorian tree: gallows Gudgeon: a gullible person Gull: a gullible person, to cheat someone -H- Hamlet: a senior constable Hang gallows look: a villainous appearance Hang in chains: a vile, desperate person Harman: a constable Harmans: the stocks Hearty choke: to be hanged Heave: to rob Hempen fever: a person who has been hanged is said to have died of "hempen fever" Hempen widow: one whose husband was hanged High pad: a highwayman Hike: to run away Hoist: to rob by entering though windows that have been left open Hoodwink: blindfold or fool someone Hooked: captured Hookers: see angler Hubbub: a riot Hue: to whip Hush: murder Hush money: a bribe -I- Iron: money Ironmongers shop: to "keep an ironmongers shop" is to be hung in chains -J- Jack in a box: a card sharper Jack Ketch: hangman Jail bird: prisoner Jammed: hanged Jem: a gold ring Jemmy: a crow bar Jigger: whipping post Jordain: a stick or staff used by muggers Juggler's box: the device used to burn the hands of criminals Jukrum: the permission of the head of a thieves guild to operate within his territory -K- Kate: a lockpick Ken: a house Ken Miller or Ken Cracker: housebreaker Ketch: hangman Kiddeys: young thieves King's plate: chains, shackles King's pictures: money Knight of the blade: a bully Knight of the post: a man willing to give fake evidence for money Knight of the road: a highwayman -L- Laced mutton: a prostitute Lag: a man transported for a crime Land pirate: a highwayman Lay: danger Leaf: to "go with the fall of the leaf" is to be hanged Lift: steal Lightmans: daytime Little snakesman: a small boy passed through a window in order to open a door Long tongued: unable to keep a secret Lowre: money Lully priggers: thieves who steal wet clothes off clothes lines Lurch: to be "left in the lurch" is to be betrayed by ones companions -M- Mad Tom: a beggar who feigns madness Made: stolen Made man: a member of the thieves guild Maunding: begging Milch cow: one who is easily tricked out of his money Moabites: bailiffs Mobility: the commoners Intended as a pun on 'nobility' Moon curser: a thief who uses the darkness as cover for his crime Moon men: gipsies Morning drop: the gallows Mort: a woman Moss: lead stolen off the top of buildings Mot: see Mort Myrmidons: constables -N- Nab: to seize Nab the stoop: to be put in the stocks Napper: a cheat or thief Napper of naps: a sheep stealer Natty lads: young thieves or pickpockets Neck weed: hemp to be made into rope Needle point: a card sharper New drop: the gallows Newman's lift: the gallows Nig: the metal clipped off a coin by a criminal Night magistrate: a constable Nim: to steal or pilfer Nip: a cheat Noisy dog racket: the crime of stealing brass door knockers from doors Noozed: hanged (or married) Nose: a criminal who gives evidence against his colleagues in order to gain a lighter sentence Nubbing: hanging Nubbing cheat: the gallows Nubbing cove: the hangman Nubbing ken: the courthouse Nypper: a cutpurse -O- Oak: a rich man Oaken towel: a cudgel Office: to "give office" is to tell constables of a thieves activities Old hand: an experienced thief Onion: a seal or signet ring Overseer: a man in the pillory or stocks -P- Pad: the highway Pad borrowers: horse thieves Palaver: a tale told in order avoid blame for a crime Panny: house Parenthesis: the stocks Parings: the metal clipped off a coin by a criminal Patter flash: to use thieves cant Paum: conceal in the hand Peach: turn informer Peeper: a spying glass (Telescope?) Penance board: the pillory Petty fogger: a lawyer willing to undertake any case Pig: an officer of the law Pigeon: a person easy to cheat Plate: money, silver, gold etc Poney: money Pop: pawn Pop shop: pawnbrokers Porridge: prison Posse mobilitatis: a mob chasing a criminal Poulterer: a man who opens mail and steals the money enclosed within Pound: prison Prad lay: the act of cutting the saddlebags of horses in order to steal their contents Prad: a horse Prig: a thief Prig napper: one who catches thieves A bounty hunter Priggers: thieves: Priggers of prancers: horse thieves Priggers of cacklers: robbers of henhouses Prince Prig: head of a group of thieves or gipsies Provendor: the victim of a thief Public ledger: a prostitute Pull: arrest Puzzle-cause: a lawyer who does not understand the case -Q- Quarromes: a body Queer: "To queer" means to confuse someone Queer bail: someone who pretends to have money in order to act as surety for an arrested person. When the person is released they disappear Queer birds: a person who when released from prison returns to a life of crime Queer bit makers: counterfeiters of coins Queer bung: an empty purse Queer cove: a thief Queer cuffin: a justice of the peace Queer ken: a prison Queer mort: a diseased prostitute Quod: prison Quota: a thieves share of the booty -R- Rag: paper money Rank rider: a highwayman Rap: taking a false oath Rascal: rogue or villain Rat: an informer To turn informer Rattling cove: a coachman Rattling mumpers: beggars who beg from coaches Reader: a pocket book or purse Reader merchants: pickpockets Ready: money Recruiting service: highway robbery Repository: a gaol Resurrection men: those employed by scientists to steal bodies from churchyards Rhino: money Ribbin: money Ringing the changes: exchanging silver coins for those made of less valuable metal Roast: arrest Robert's men: successful thieves Rot gut: cheap spiritous liquor Rovers: pirates, wandering thieves Rub: run away Ruffles: chains or shackles Rufflers: beggars who pretend to be wounded soldiers or sailors Rug: safe and secure Rum: fine, good, valuable Rum beck: a justice of the peace Rum bite: a clever trick Rum bob: a skilled apprentice thief Rum bung: a full purse Rum cod: a purse filled with gold Rum diver: a skilled pickpocket Rum dubber: a skilled lock picker Rum file: a skilled pickpocket Rum fun: a clever trick Rum pad: the highway Rum padders: skilled and successful highwaymen Rum prancer: a good horse Rushers: home invaders -S- Salmon: an oath taken by a beggar Scapegallows: one who deserves and has escaped the gallows Scragged: hanged Scragg'em fair: a public execution Screw: a lock pick or skeleton key Sham: a trick Sharper: a con man Sheriff's journeyman: hangman Sheriff's ball: an execution Sheriff's hotel: prison Sheriff's picture frame: gallows Shop: prison Shoplifter: one who steals from a shop Sing: call out, inform Slang: chains or shackles Slang: thieves cant Slipgibbet: see Scapegallows Snap the glaze: break a window Snapt: captured Sneak: a pilferer Snoozing ken: brothel Sop: a bribe Spring-ankle warehouse: prison Squeak: escape "To squeak" means to confess Squeakers: organ pipes Stalling ken: place where stolen goods can be sold Star the glaze: break a jewellers window Stoop: the pillory Stop hole abbey: the central hideout or guild hall for a thieves guild Stretching: hanging Stuling ken: see Stalling ken Swaddler: a thief who beats and murders his victims Swag: booty Sweating: removing metal from a coin, by using chemicals Swing: hang -T- Tail: a prostitute Tayle drawers: a thief who steals swords from a mans belt Teize: a flogging Thatch-gallows: a man of poor character Thief takers: someone who associates with thieves in order to arrest them and obtain rewards Three-legged mare: the gallows Three legged stool: the gallows Tom of Bedlam: see Mad Tom Topping cheat: the gallows Topping cove: hangman Touch: arrest Trounce: punish Tucked up: hanged Turncoat: one who has betrayed his friends Turn off: hang Twig: realise that something is up Two to one shop: pawnbrokers -U- Underdubber: a prison guard Upright Man: chief thief of a guild Used up: killed -V- Vamp: pawn Varlets: criminals Vincent's law: the art of cheating at cards Vowel: to write an IOU -W- Waterpad: river pirate Wedge: silver plate Whack: a share of booty obtained by fraud Whip jacks: thieves who pretend to be sailors in order to gain free passage on boats and ships Wiper: handkerchief Wiper drawer: a pickpocket who steals handkerchiefs Wooden ruff: pillory Wry neck day: day of execution -Y- Yelp: cry out for the police -Z- Zad: a very crooked person ENGLISH TO CANT -A- Abandoned person: blasted fellow, brimstone, lurch Arrested: boned, hooked, nabbed, pulled, roasted, snapt, touched -B- Beer: bowse Beggars: abram men, autem mort, dommerer, Mad Tom, rattling mumpers, rufflers, Tom of Bedlam Begging: angling for coppers, maunding Boat: ark Body: quarromes Body thieves: ressurection men Booty: quota, swag, whack Brandy: bingo Bribe: dawb, grease, hush money, sop Brothel: academy, snoozing ken -C- Calf, stolen: blater Call for police: cry beef Cart: gaoler's coach Cloak: calle Club: jordain, oaken towel Coach man: rattling cove Coin, fake: button, dump Coin shavings: nig, parings Con: amuse, bilk, fob, fun, fuzz, hoodwink, sham Con man: amuser, jack in a box, needle point, nip, sharper Counterfeiter: bene feaker, figure dancer, queer bit maker Counterfeited: confect Counterfeiting: drawing the King's picture, sweating Courthouse: nubbing ken Criminals being transported: barrow man, lag Criminals in the stocks: babes in the wood, nappered, overseer Criminals with hands burned: badge, charactered Crow bar: Bess, Betty, ginny, jemmy -D- Danger: lay Day: lightmans Death sentence: cramp word Dog: bufe Drunk: clear -E- Escape: bing, burning the ken, hike, rub -F- Feign illness: sham abram Follow: drag Fool: Ben, cullability, gudgeon, gull, milch cow, pigeon, queer -G- Gallows: chatts, deadly nevergreen, Gregorian Tree, morning drop, new drop, Newman's lift, nubbing cheat, sheriff's picture frame, three legged mare, three legged stool, topping cheat Gang: birds of a feather Gipsies: cattle, moon men Gloves: fams Good: bene, rum -H- Hanged: acorn, artichoked, beilby's ball, cry cockles, cropped, dangled, frummagemmed, hearty choked, hempen fever, ironmongers shop, jammed, leaf, noozed, nubbing, scragged, stretched, swing, turned off Hangman: Derrick, Jack Ketch, Ketch, nubbing cove, sheriff's journeyman, topping cove Hideout: dive, fencing ken, flash ken, stalling ken, stop hole abbey, stuling ken Highway: pad Highwayman: colt, gentleman's master, high pad, knight of the road, land pirate, rank rider Highway robberry: recruiting service Hit: click Honest man: cull House: ken, panny Housebreaker: cracksman, draw latch, Ken Miller, Ken Cracker, rushers -I- Inform: cackle, long tongued, nose, office, peach, rat, sing -J- Judge etc: beak, fortune teller, queer cuffin -K- Kill: crash, use up -L- Lantern: darkee, glim Lawyer: black box, cursitor, petty fogger, puzzle-case Lead: moss License: jukrum Lie: amuse, gamon, palaver Lock pick: charm, dub, kate, screw Lock picker: gilt Lock picking: black art, dub lay -M- Man: cove Mistress of brothel: abbess, aunt Money: caravan, iron, King's pictures, lowre, plate, poney, rag, ready, rhino, ribbin, wedge Mugger: ding boy Murder: hush -N- Naked: abram Night: darkmans -O- Oath: cap, earnest, rap (false), salmon -P- Palming: fam lay, pauming Pawn: pop, vamp Pawnbrokers: pop shop, two to one shop Pickpocket: Adam Tiler, anabaptist, autem divers, bung nipper, buzman, foyst, natty lad, nypper, reader merchants Picking pockets: dive, figging law, forking Pocket: cly Police officer: bandog, bus napper, bus napper kenchin, hamlet, harman, moabites, myrmidons, night magistrate, pig Priest: autem bawler Prison: Bilboes, boarding school, porridge, pound, queer ken, quod, repository, sheriff's hotel, shop, spring-ankle warehouse Prison ship: floating hell Prisoner: jail bird, queer birds Prostitute: aunt, bat, bawd, buttock and file, cattle, fen, laced mutton, public ledger, queer mort, tail Purse: boung, dummee, reader Purse, cut: boung nipper -R- Receiver of stolen goods: family man, fence Rich: equipt, oak Ring: jem, onion Riot: hubbub -S- Secure: rug Shackles: darbies, King's plate, ruffles, slang Sheep stealing: bleating rig Shoplifter: Bob Staff: jordain Steal: bite, bite the blow, cloy, curbing law, heave, hoist, lift, nim, prad lay Stocks: Bilboes, parenthesis, penance board, wooden ruff Stolen: ard, made Swap: bug, ring the changes -T- Tavern owner: beggar maker Theft: game Theft of brass weights: avoir du pois lay Thief: Adam Tiler, anabaptist, anglers, ark ruffians, autem divers, bawdy basket, blue pigeons, Bob, bubber, bufe napper, bung nipper, buzman, canters, canting crew, Captain Sharp, clank napper, cloyes, cracksman, draw latches, dromedary, fagger, fidlam ben, filcher, footpad, foyst, gallows bird, gilt, glazier, hooker, kiddeys, little snakesman, lully priggers, made man, moon curser, napper of naps, natty lads, nypper, old hand, pad borrowers, poulterer, priggers, priggers of prancers, priggers of cacklers, queer cove, reader merchant, ressurection men, Robert's men, rovers, shoplifter, 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: content, provendor -W- Whipping: air and exercise, cly the jerk, flogging, hue, teize Whipping post: jigger Widow: ace of spades, hempen widow (if husband was hanged) Witness, fake: affidavit man, knight of the post Woman: mort, mot Wound: beef -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This document has been edited for legibility purposes by OLIK / Ole A. Ringdal olear@online.no / http://home.sol.no/olear --------------------------------------------------------------------------------