Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (Aus./UK/US, also spec) a decaying orange with specks of mould; any spotted or damaged fruit or vegetable; thus specky/specked adj., rotten.

[1838		W. Holloway Dict. of Provincialisms 93/1: Kenspeck, A thing known by some blemish].
1842		Whip & Satirist of NY & Brooklyn (NY) 5 Feb. n.p.: The Whip Wants to Know [...] Where Isaac purchased those green specks.
1861		(con. 1840s–50s) H. Mayhew London Labour and London Poor I 117/1: A fruit-salesman in the markets generally throws to one side the shrivelled, dwarfish, or damaged fruit – called by the street-traders the ‘specks’.
1866		Wild Boys of London I 130/1: Linky’s got some oranges outside the Vic; we’ll buy some specked ones off him.
1873		Sl. Dict.
1880		R. Rowe Picked Up in the Streets 245: I’ve bought specks and sold ’em again at a profit.
1892		‘John Miller’ Workingman’s Paradise 17: ‘“Specks!” Damaged fruit, half rotten. The garbage of the rich sold as a feast to these poor little ones?’ cried Nellie, a hot anger in her face.
1900		‘The Wayback Family’ in Sun. Times (Sydney) 23 Dec. 13/1: ‘I come ter ther market fer er load er specks an’ windfalls, but, blime! ther ain‘t none’.
1908		‘O. Henry’ Voice of the City [Ch. title] Little Speck in Garnered Fruit.
1910		Sun. Times (Perth) 5 June 2nd sect. 9/1: They Say [...] That the culprit is a forlorn youth who sorts specks in a blooming fruit store.
1915		T. Burke Nights in Town 216: Then to the large greengrocer’s shop for a penn’orth of ‘specks’.
1957		D. Niland Call Me When the Cross Turns Over (1958) 106: I’m tied up with a little number down at the fruit shop [...] She’s been wooing me with milk-shakes and specked fruit.
1980		M. Williams Dingo! 5: Just after dark [...] we made the round of the fruit stalls, looking for specks.
1981		(con. c.1895) A. Harding in Samuel East End Und. 9: The child would reply, ‘Come on, it’s only a couple of specks’. [Ibid.] 42: When you came home from school, mother would say, ‘Go and see if you can get some potatoes. Take that sack and I don’t want any specky ones’.
1982		Aus. Women’s Wkly 28 July 35/3: Remember specked fruit at the greengrocer’s?
1986		D. Barker Life in Jazz 31: We often went to the large French Market to get spec’s, as overripe fruits and vegetables were humorously called.

2. in fig. use of sense 1, of a prostitute, venereally diseased.

1850

Man of Pleasure’s Illus. Pocket-book n.p.: ‘[S]he did'nt care who turned 'em up, ’cause ’em vos as clean as a smelt and as fresh as a daisy—she vould’nt have a speck’d ’un if she know'd it’.

3. (US black) a black person [? abbr. SE speck of dirt; if so then used ironically].

1980

E. Folb Runnin’ Down Some Lines 255: speck Black person.