rider, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

rider n.

1. in sexual senses.

(a) a man or woman considered as a sexual partner; thus, a male copulator.

1594		Gesta Grayorum in J. Nichols Progresses and Processions of Queen Elizabeth (1823) III 339: ’Tis dangerous to wed a widdowe; for she hath cast her rider.
1605		Jonson Volpone IV ii: Here’s the ravisher, The rider on men’s wives.
1637		R. Brome Eng. Moor V i: Even the Ranck-rider of the town, Sir, one Master Nathaniel Banelasse.
c.1650		Le Strange Merry Passages and Jeasts No. 418 117: I hold my Seate well sayes her Husband, for thou canst not say that ever yet thou didst cast thy Rider.
1661		‘Advice to Bachelours’ in Ebsworth Merry Drollery Compleat (1875) 33: If her face and her neck have here and there a speck, / Ne’er stick, but astraight you go stride her: / For it hath been try’d and never denied, / Such flesh ne’er fails a Rider.
c.1670		Purgatorium Hibernicum 27: Until her rider Curbd the bride- / Delt and clapt Spurrs into her side / And prickt her up .
1678		J. Ray Proverbs (2nd edn) 58: It’s dangerous marrying a widow because she has cast her rider.
1690		‘Teague’ Teagueland Jests I 70: His harlot had been some forsaken Jilt, and had cast and soyl’d many a Rider.
1698		N. Ward ‘A Trip to Jamaica’ in Writings (1704) 147: The Jilt [...] for her Security, makes her Rider Pay for his Journey, before he mounts the Saddle.
1701		N. Ward ‘A Walk to Islington’ in Writings (1704) 65: She minces her Steps, but to pleasure her Rider, / Her Pace she can alter, and lay her Legs wider.
1721		Penkethman’s Jests 118: Q. Why is it dangerous to marry a Widow? A. Because she has cast one Rider already.
1761		E. Thompson Meretriciad 21: Well, dance on Nancy [i.e. Dawson], keep the beaten rout, / And burn your Rider, as you was burnt out.
c.1775		Only True and Exact Calendar title page: Polly Smith is come from Newmarket [...] is acknowledged to rise and fall well while she carries, never throws her Rider; nor allows him to come in for the Plate as long as she is able to wag.
c.1780		The only True LIST, of those celebrated SPORTING LADIES [broadsheet] Miss Wi-dg-se, who, though short, gives excellent sport [and] never throws her rider.
1781		Hicky’s Bengal Gaz. 1-8 Dec. n.p.: She was extremely restive and Skittish, broke loose from her rider (tho’ a Shrewd Jockey) & ran off the Course.
1781		Belle’s Stratagem 13: Such lads as we that are trainers for the town. — Rough riders, Bet, who wou’d rather break a filly than the head of a Frenchman.
1787		Harris’s List of Covent-Garden Ladies 127: You will surely be thrown out of the saddle, though ever so good a rider [...] for enjoyment rises so near to madness with her.
1831		Satirist (London) 22 May 54/1: Bishop RYDER married one of the Ladies GOWER [...] She deserves, sure, so skilful a Ryder, / Since she is so charming a Gower.
1832		Satirist (London) 2 Sept. 285/4: [of a woman] [He asked] what was meant by ‘the rider to a Bill.’ [...] ‘Ah! thou booby,’ roared royalty [i.e. King William IV] ‘The rider means the Queen, to be sure; and as to the Bill, why it is impossible to misunderstand that, as it states here that the “Royal assent[i.e. ascent] has been given to it”.
1839		Crim.-Con. Gaz. 2 Mar.72/1: Why is it dangerous to marry a widow? Because she has cast her rider.
1842		Wkly Rake (NY) 10 Sept. n.p.: the rake wants to knowWhether a particular young lady writes to her dear [...] and if she know Mr F. to be a finished Rider .
1889		Dead Bird (Sydney) 9 Nov. 1/3: The bridegroom is seventy-eight years of age [...] He is small, wiry, vigorous, and a good rider [...] There can’t be any flies on a man who is a good rider at seventy-eight.
1926		Blind Lemon jefferson ‘Corinna Blues’ 🎵 C.C. Rider see what you done done / Made me love you, now your friend is come.
1928		Blind Lemon Jefferson ‘Mean Jumper Blues’ 🎵 I said I feel like falling from treetops to the ground / My rider’s got a mean joker and he don’t allow me around.
1935		Z.N. Hurston Mules and Men (1995) 146: If you want good boody / Oh, go to Ella Wall / Oh, she’s long and tall / Oh, she’s long and tall / And she rocks her rider / From uh wall to wall.
1937		R. Johnson ‘Hell Hound on My Trail’ 🎵 If today was Christmas Eve and tomorrow was Christmas Day [...] / All I would need my little sweet rider just to pass the time away.
1952		E. Brown Trespass 66: You’re my rider. My sweet, easy-riding baby.
1969		Current Sl. III:4 9: Rider, n. A person suspected of having sexual relations.
1986		C.W. ‘Bill’ Getz ‘Bumming Around Town’ in G. Logsdon Whorehouse Bells Were Ringing (1995) 96: Do you happen to have any old whore to tame? / Yes, I am one that you cannot fuck; / At throwing good riders, I’ve had lots of luck.
2019		in Conforth & Wardlow Up Jumped the Devil 207: Robert [Johnson] often used the vernacular that was used daily by the Delta sharecroppers he played for. He sang countless expressions along the lines of his ‘rider’ (the woman he was having sex with) or ‘makin’ a spread,’ and ‘quiverin’ down’ (for intercourse).

(b) (US gay) a male homosexual who takes the active role in anal intercourse.

1972

B. Rodgers Queens’ Vernacular 18: the man who fucks in anal intercourse, as opposed to the one who is fucked [...] rider.

2. (UK Und.) a cloak.

1753		J. Poulter Discoveries (1774) 42: A Rider; a Cloak.
a.1790		H.T. Potter New Dict. Cant (1795).
1809		G. Andrewes Dict. Sl. and Cant.
1821		Flash Dict.
1835		G. Kent Modern Flash Dict.
1848		Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open.
1859		Matsell Vocabulum.

3. someone who receives part of the salary for a job through an agreement with the job’s actual appointee or with their patron; the rider is said to be ‘quartered’ on the job’s possessor and a single possessor may have several riders in tow [SE rider, one who rides + legal jargon, an additional clause tacked on to a document after its first drafting].

1781		G. Parker View of Society II 44: Why then, Sir, in the first place, I have got a great deal of money among Riders.
c.1786		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue ms. additions .
1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue (3rd edn) n.p.: Rider. A person who receives part of the salary of a place or appointment from the ostensible occupier, by virtue of an agreement with the donor, or great man appointing. The rider is said to be quartered upon the possessor, who often has one or more persons thus riding behind him.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum [as cit. 1796].

4. (US prison/Und.) a prosecutor.

1929

C.G. Givens ‘Chatter of Guns’ in Sat. Eve. Post 13 Apr. list extracted in AS VI:2 (1930) 134: rider, n. Prosecuting attorney.

5. (US drugs) free heroin provided to a purchaser of bulk cocaine, e.g. 5 kilos of heroin for every 100 kilos of cocaine.

2001

ONDCP Street Terms 18: Rider — 5 kilograms of heroin sometimes provided at no cost per 100 kilograms of cocaine imported from Colombia.

6. (UK black) a trustworthy, dependable individual.

2011

K. Koke ‘Mama’ 🎵 Mom you raised riders and that’s no lie.