gilt, n.² — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

gilt n.²

[ety. unknown]

(UK Und.)

1. a burglar.

1620		J. Melton Astrologaster 10: Leauing not a Pick-pockets, Gilts, Lifts, Decoyes, or Dyvers Hose vnsurueyed.
1665		Head Eng. Rogue I 50: Gilt, A Pick-lock.
1674		C. Cotton Compleat Gamester 6: Shoals of Huffs, Hectors, Setters, Gilts, Pads, Biters, Divers, Lifters, Filers, Budgies, Droppers, Crossbyters, etc., and these may all pass under the general and common appellation of Rooks.
1674		Head Canting Academy (2nd edn) 70: The Gilt is one that going into a Tavern Ale-house, no room below stairs will suit his turn, and therefore is shewed room above.
1725		New Canting Dict. n.p.: gilt, or Rum-dubber, a Picklock, so called from Gilt, a Key; Many of them are so expert, that from a Church Door, to the smallest Cabinet or Trunk, they will find means to open it. [...] The Fifty-third Order of Villains.
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. [as cit. 1725].
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.

2. a skeleton key.

1674		Head Canting Academy (2nd edn) 174: Gilt A Picklock.
c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Gilt A Pick-lock.
1728		Defoe Street Robberies Considered 32: Gilt, a Pick-lock.
1839		(con. 1715) W.H. Ainsworth Jack Sheppard (1917) 161: Use the gilt, man!

3. (UK Und.) a crowbar.

1857

‘Ducange Anglicus’ Vulgar Tongue 15: Gilt pronounced jilt, n. Crowbar.

gilt-dubber (n.) [dubber n.¹ (1)]

1. (UK Und.) an expert pick-lock.

1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: Gilt, or rum dubber, a thief who picks locks, so called from the gilt or pick-lock key; many of them are so expert, that from the lock of a church door to that of the finest cabinet, they will find means to open it.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.

2. (US Und.) a hotel thief.

1859		Matsell Vocabulum.
1881		Trumble Sl. Dict. (1890).
1882		J.D. McCabe N.Y. xxxiv, 509: Gilt-dubber, a hotel thief [F&H].
1895		Crowe Aus. Sl. Dict. 32: Gilt Dubber, a hotel thief.
1901		Argus (Melbourne) 20 Sept. 6/4: Amongst these small fry of the profession [are] the fagger, or small boy who is put through a window; the gilt dubber, or hotel thief.