Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a corrupt lawyer who takes fees from both plaintiff and defendant; also attrib.

[1538		Elyot Dictionary 13: Ambidexter, he that vseth bothe handes lyke welle].
1549		T. Chaloner (trans.) Erasmus Praise of Folie (1509) 70: Many fooles, tangle theim selues in the law, and can neuer gette out of it, but hold and shoue on bothe sydes, onely to make fatte these [...] Ambidexter Aduocates.
1552		G. Walker Detection of Vyle and Detestable Use of Dice Play 17: R.: Have [they] any affinity with our men of law? M.: Never with these that be honest. Marry! With such as be ambidexters, and used to play in both the hands.
1589		R. Robinson Golden Mirrour B3: An other sorte began to hyde their head, And many other did ambodexter play.
1592		Greene Quip for an Upstart Courtier E: I inueigh not against law nor honest lawiers [...] but against extorting Ambodexters that wring the poore.
1608		Dekker Family of Love V viii: I’ll play Ambodexter, tell ’em ’tis a plain case and put ’em down with the club law.
1611		L. Barry Ram-Alley IV i: You wed my daughter? [...] You, sir Ambo-dexter, A Sumners sonne!
1613		Finch Law 186: To call an Attornie ambodexter, or to say that he dealeth corruptly [F&H].
1652		Beulowe Theophrastus XIII xviii 238: From costly bills of greedy Emp’ricks free From plea of ambodexters fee [F&H].
1660		J. Tatham Rump II i: Well, we know he has been an Ambo-dexter all his life time.
1685		‘A Scholar’ Maggots 38: My Ambodexter either way will go, / Now Struts above, now humbly creeps below.
1691		T. Blount Law Dict. n.p.: Ambidexter: He [...] plays on both sides: but in the legal acceptance, it signifies, That Juror or Embraceor who takes money on both sides for giving his Verdict.
1705		E. Hickeringill ‘To Madame Poverty’ Priest-craft I 37: If the poor Wizard did not Money lack: Nor Ambodexter Lawyers take a fee on both sides.
1725		New Canting Dict.
1737		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. n.p.: ambidexter, [...] a Lawyer that takes Fees of Plaintiff and Defendant at once.
1741		Stamford Mercury 5 Mar. 1/1: If Britain [...] takes care care that no Ambo-dexter shall retard Execution of her Designs, the Bourbon Family may [be] rendered’d incapable of disturbing the Repose of Europe.
1750–1855		B.M. Carew Life and Adventures.
1782		Hibernian Jrnl (Dublin) 18 Dec. 3/1: There were two Constructions — the noble Lord had subscribed to both [...] a striking Instance of true Ambo-dexter — squinting Policy.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1822		R. Nares Gloss. (1888) I 22: †ambodexter. One who keeps fair with both parties, who is the friend of whoever is uppermost.
1843		Sligo Champion 22 Apr. 2/1: To the noble lord [...] we must yield the merit of being a perfect adept in the art of legislative jugglery [...] He has maniftsed an adroitness in playing the legislative ambidexter tthat we have rarely seen surpassed.
c.1850		Duncombe New and Improved Flash Dict.
1859		Matsell Vocabulum.
1864		F. Palgrave Normandy and England III 278: An ambidexter, owing fealty to both ... and not faithful to either [F&H].
1878		Somerset Co. Gaz. 6 July 2/5: Slander and Actionable Words [...] ‘He is an ambodexter’ is actionable.

2. (gambling) a house player; one who hedges his bets, backing both sides.

1583		P. Stubbes Anatomie of Abuses 69: Beware, therefore, you masking Players, [...] you double dealing ambodexters, be warned.
1599		G. Peele Sir Clyomon and Sir Clamydes in Dyce (1861) 503: Such shifting knaves as I am, the ambodexter must play.
1635		H. Glapthorne The Lady Mother I i: He is an ambodexter or a Jack-of-all-sides.
c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Ambidexter, one that goes snacks in gaming with both Parties.
1705		‘Character of a Sneaker’ in Harleian Misc. II (1809) 355: He is a state hermaphrodite, an ambidexter [...] that blows hot and cold with the same breath.
1725		New Canting Dict.
1737, 1760, 1767		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. n.p.: ambidexter, one that goes snacks in gaming with both Parties.
1749		Smollett (trans.) Adventures of Gil Blas II 180: As soon as I signified, to this ambidexter, my consent [...] he conducted me to the place where they were.
c.1759		in B.M. Carew Life and Adventures (1855).
1835		G. Kent Modern Flash Dict.
1848		Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open.

3. in fig. use (ref. is to sex).

1611

Davies of Hereford Vpon Eng. Prouerbes 49/2: Shee’s ambodexter, with both hands shee playes: But yet with both leggs she workes nights and dayes. Shee’s woone with an apple, and lost with an nutt.

4. (UK Und.) that member of the pickpocket team who actually picks a pocket.

1782

Newcastle Courant 29 June 4/3: There are generally two and sometimes three persons concerned in picking a Pocket [...] Their first step is to single out the person [...] which they do by secret signs and motions, this being done Ambidexter contrives to place himself at the Pocket-side of the person, an accomplice then gets close up to his other side [...] whilst Amby is exercising his dexterity at the Pocket, his accomplice [...] is jostling him [i.e. the victim].