Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a small person; often as one of King John’s men, eight score to the hundred.

1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.

a prostitute.

c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: One of my Cosens, a Wench.
1725		New Canting Dict.
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.

1. a drunkard.

1609

W.M. Man in the Moone n.p.: This fellow is one of the faithfull, as they prophanelie terme him, said Opinion; no Heliogabalus at meat, but will drinke many degrees beyond a Dutchman [N].

2. a tailor who gives extended credit.

1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: Faithful, one of the faithful; a taylor who gives long credit. His faith has made him unwhole; i.e. trusting too much, broke him.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.

(gay) to have syphilis.

1941		G. Legman ‘Lang. of Homosexuality’ Appendix VII in Henry Sex Variants.
1965		Guild Dict. Homosexual Terms 26: knights, to be one of the (v.): To have active syphilis.

a cuckold.

1680

Betterton Revenge I. 8: ’Tis [...] out of fashion now to call things by their right names. Is a Citizen a Cuckold? no, he’s one of the Liverie .

1. (US) an admirable/outstanding individual or event.

1841		Sun. Flash (NY) 19 Sept. n.p.: Peter Plug — wishes to know what ‘one of ’em’ is? Why Peter you are one of ’em.
1848		Boston Blade 10 June n.p.: Ain’t I one of ’em? Mose says I am.
1853		N.Y. Clipper 9 July 3/1: [F]rom the arrangements made by the Company, we had no doubt that this excursion would be ‘one of them’ .

2. a womanizer.

1842

Whip & Satirist of NY & Brooklyn (NY) 6 Aug. n.p.: Who is Billy Banks [...] They say he is one of ’em, particularly among the women.

3. a prostitute.

1842		Flash (NY) 31 July n.p.: Miss Smith, also of Thomas street, [i.e. a brothel address] is ‘one of ’em’ and we found her very drunk, as expected.
1850		Life in Boston & N.Y. (Boston, MA) 7 Sept. n.p.: Rufus says in relation to that harlot that we cautioned him about, ‘Golly, I didn’t know Kate was one of ’em — darned if I don’t look out for her now!’.
1937–84		Partridge DSUE (1984) 832/1: C.19–20.

4. a shilling (5p) [ety. unknown; ? sense 3, i.e. the cost of a cheap prostitute].

1909

J. Ware Passing Eng. of the Victorian Era.

5. a male homosexual.

1972

B. Rodgers Queens’ Vernacular 165: homosexual [...] one of them [those].

(Aus.) a male homosexual.

1904

Sydney Sportsman (Surry Hills, NSW) 2 Nov. 3/6: ‘Oh, I do love him!’ ejaculated the Potts Pointer [...] ‘No use, mum,’ said the old cove, ‘I think he’s one of the opposite party’.

1. (Aus.) a prostitute.

1904

Sydney Sportsman (Surry Hills, NSW) 24 Feb. 3/6: Mary has a panama, / And lots of lovely clothes; / And when you see her on the block / You'd think she’s ‘one of those’.

2. a male homosexual.

1909		J. Ware Passing Eng. of the Victorian Era 188/2: One of those (Peoples’ 1880). An obscure phrase, coming probably from a comic song entitled, ‘I really must have one of those’. No ascertained meaning above the class in which it originated – but evidently quite understood by its patrons. Remained in gutter fashion for about four years, when it fell from its high intent.
1972		B. Rodgers Queens’ Vernacular 165: homosexual [...] one of them [those].
2002		The-House-of-Love.org ‘Gay Men Names’ 🌐 one of those • one of us • oofterpa • Oscar.

3. (US gay) a heterosexual woman, any woman.

1972

B. Rodgers Queens’ Vernacular 81: a straight woman; any woman [...] one of those.

1. a prostitute.

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 male homosexual.

1972		B. Rodgers Queens’ Vernacular.
2002		The-House-of-Love.org ‘Gay Men Names’ 🌐 one of those • one of us.