For the Cant homepage, click here.
For Simple Thieves' Cant, Cant to English translation, click
here.
| |
English |
Cant |
 |
Abandoned person |
Blasted fellow, brimstone, lurch |
| Accomplice |
Hired help |
| Arrested |
boned, hooked, invited, nabbed, pulled,
roasted, snapt, touched |
| Assassin |
Hit Man |
 |
Backstab |
Shoulder tap |
| 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 |
Expense money |
| Brothel |
Academy, snoozing ken |
| Burglar, professional |
Rounder |
| Burglary |
Visitin' the neighbors |
 |
Calf, stolen |
Blater |
| Call for police |
Cry beef |
| Cart |
Gaoler's coach |
| Climb |
Taking a big step |
| Cloak |
Calle |
| Club |
Jordain, oaken towel |
| Coach man |
Rattling cove |
| Coin, fake |
Button, dump |
| Coin shavings |
Nig, parings |
| Commiting Crimes |
Rooton' |
| Con |
Amuse, bilk, fob, fun, fuzz, hoodwink,
sham |
| Con man |
Amuser, jack in a box, needle point,
nip, sharper |
| Con/swindle Victim |
Pigeon |
| Con artist / Swindler |
Pigeon Plucker |
| 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 |
| Crowbar |
Bess, Betty, ginny, jemmy |
 |
Dagger |
Pig poker |
| Danger |
Lay |
| Day |
Lightmans |
| Death sentence |
Cramp word |
| Die |
Goin' Legit |
| Dog |
Fang, bufe |
| Door |
Lid |
| Drunk |
Clear |
 |
Escape |
Bing, burning ken, hike, rub |
 |
Feign illness |
Sham abram |
| Fence |
Uncle |
| Flogging |
Getting Stripes |
| Follow |
Drag |
| Fool |
Ben, cullability, gudgeon, gull, milch
cow, pigeon, queer |
 |
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 |
| Gypsies |
Cattle, moon men |
| Gloves |
Fams |
| Good |
Bene, rum |
| Guard |
Pig |
| Guard, Head of the |
Papa Proker |
| Guildsman, high-standing |
Made-Guy |
 |
Hanged |
Acorn, artichoked, beilby's ball,
cry cockles, cropped, dangled, frummagemmed, hearty choked,
hempen fever, ironmongers shop, jammed, leaf, noozed,
nubbing, ridin' the rope, scragged, stretched, swing,
turned off |
| Hangman |
Derrick, Jack Ketch, Ketch, nubbing
cove, sheriff's journeyman, topping cove |
| Healer, underworld |
Tinker |
| Hello |
Knock-knock |
| Hide |
Shadow dance, Crawl in a hole |
| 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 robbery |
Recruiting service |
| Hit |
Click |
| Honest man |
Cull |
| House |
Crib, ken, panny |
| Housebreaker |
Cracksman, draw latch, Ken Miller,
Ken Cracker, rushers |
 |
Illegal Goods |
Contraband |
| Inform |
Cackle, long tongued, nose, office,
peach, rat, sing |
| Informant |
A hole in need of a plugging |
| Injury |
Scratch |
| Injury, serious |
Broken finger |
| Innocent |
Dodgies |
 |
Jail |
Guesthouse |
| Jail break |
Goin' home |
| Judge |
Beak, fortune teller, grandpa, queer
cuffin |
 |
Kill |
Crash, have a chat with, use up |
| Knock unconcious |
Tuck in bed |
 |
Lantern |
Darkee, glim |
| Larceny |
Racket |
| Lawyer |
Black box, cursitor, petty fogger,
puzzle-case |
| Lead |
Moss |
| License |
Jukrum |
| Lie |
Amuse, gamon, palaver |
| Lock |
Joke |
| Lockpick |
Punchline, charm, dub, kate, screw |
| Lookout |
Pair of eyes |
| Lockpicker |
Gilt |
| Lockpicking |
Black art, dub lay |
| Loot from a theft |
Score |
| Losing a hand (legal punishment) |
Dropping a glove |
 |
Magic |
Flash |
| Magic item |
Bagged flash |
| Man |
Cove |
| Mistress of brothel |
Nypper, reader merchants |
 |
Night watchman |
Moon pigs |
 |
Open |
Tell a joke |
 |
Pickpocket |
Purse collector, Cannon |
| Plan (noun) |
Signals |
| Planning |
Flag waving |
| Prisoner |
Hizzoner's guest |
 |
Quiet |
Smooth |
 |
Receiver of stolen goods |
Family man, fence |
| Rich |
Equipt, oak |
| Ring |
Jem, onion |
| Riot |
Hubbub |
| Risk |
Boredom |
| Rope |
Danglestuff |
 |
Secure |
Rug |
| Sell |
Switch |
| Shackles |
Darbies, King's plate, ruffles, slang |
| Sheep stealing |
Bleating rig |
| Shoplifter |
Bob |
| Staff |
Jordain |
| Steal |
Bite, bite the blow, borrow, cloy,
curbing law, heave, hoist, lift, nim, prad lay |
| Stocks |
Bilboes, parenthesis, penance board,
wooden ruff |
| Stolen |
Ard, made |
| Swap |
Bug, ring the changes |
 |
Taking a big step |
Climb |
| The target of a confidence game |
Mark |
| Tavern owner |
Beggar maker |
| Theft |
Game |
| Theft of brass weights |
Avoir du pois lay |
| Tie up |
Dress up |
| 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, gentleman, 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 |
| Thief, independent |
Lone Wolf |
| Thief who replaces valuable goods
with worthless ones |
Pennyweighter |
| Thief specialized in cracking safes |
Box-Man |
| Thieves cant |
Flash lingo, gibberish, patter flash,
slang |
| Thieves, group of |
Mob |
| Torture |
Have tea with the pigs |
| Trader of knowledge on where stolen
property can be sold |
Piece Man |
| Trap |
Bite |
| Trial |
Show |
 |
Victim |
Content, provendor |
 |
Wall |
Tilted floor |
| 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 |
| |
English |
Cant |
| Bronze |
Bronze |
| Copper |
Rust |
| Gold |
Yellow Tin |
| Platinum |
Shiny Tin |
| Silver |
Tin |
| Diamond |
Chunk o' Gin |
| Emerald |
Green Beer |
| Sapphire |
Berry Wine |
| Pearl |
Milk |
| Ruby |
Chunk o' Brandy |
| Ear rings
|
Lobe Latches |
| Jewel |
Booze |
| Jewelry |
Fancy Booze |
| Loot |
Stuffing |
| Money |
Bits |
| Necklace |
Noose |
| Ring |
Finger Joint |
Time is measured in hours after sunset or sunrise.
After sunset is "clean," after sunrise is "dirty."
One hour is called a finger.
"Fingers" can be divided into three 20 minute periods called "knuckles."
| |
Time |
Cant Translation |
| Noon |
"Six dirty fingers" |
| Midnight |
"Thumbs" |
| 3:00 am |
"Nine clean fingers" |
| 2:20 pm |
"First dirty knuckle on the eighth
finger" |
| 1:19 pm |
"Seventh dirty finger" |
| 4:45 am |
"Second clean knuckle on the tenth
finger" |
| Near Sunrise |
"Gettin' dirty" |
| Near Sunset |
"Almost clean" |
If a thief suspects that he can be overheard,
hand gestures may be used.
In this case, the back of the hand is "dirty" and the palm is "clean."
There are hundreds of variations in this scheme.
Thieves planning a crime will agree beforehand on which to use.
| |
Size |
Cant |
| Big |
Tall man |
| Small |
Short man |
| Weight |
Cant |
| Heavy |
Fat lady |
| Light |
Thin woman |
Specific lengths and weights are given in the normal measurements.
CANT CONVERSATION
Thief #1: "Knock-knock, Blackhand an I
were flag wavin' bout visiting Papa Porker's crib at seven clean fingers.
We're lookin' fer a third gentleman for a pair o' eyes. Interested?"
Thief #2: "What style of stuffing ya wanna to borrow ? Who's
your uncle?"
Thief #1: "Uncle's out of town. We're gonna pick bits.
Thief #2: "That's fat lady work. Sounds too boring. I'm
not interested."
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
Thief #1: "Hello, Blackhand and I were
planing on burglarizing the Captain of the Guard's house tonight at 1:00
am. We need a third theif to act as lookout. Are you intrested?"
Thief #2: "What kind of loot are you going to steal? Who's
your fence?
Thief #1: "We won't need a fence. We are going for money
only."
Thief #2: "That's going to be heavy work. Sounds
too risky. I'm not interested."
Home | Bibliography
| Submissions | Contact
|
