prosser, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

prosser n.

[pross v.¹ (1); thus the celebrated Prossers’ Avenue in London’s Gaiety Theatre, the theatre bar where the more raffish elements of society were wont to promenade; also the P.G. Wodehouse (1881–1975) character Oofy Prosser, lit. ‘rich sponger’]

1. an idler or sponger.

1880		Sporting Times 18 Dec. 5/3: Change of Name.— The Gaiety Restaurant to Prosser’s Avenue.
a.1889		‘Catnach Broadside’ [ballad] There is a josser’s land, / Far, far away! / Where a drink they never stand, / Far, far away ! Termed Prosser’s Avenue, / Where of Pros’ you meet a few. Hundreds could much better do, / Far, far away! Faraway! Faraway! [B&L].
1895		C. Crowe Aus. Sl. Dict. 61: Prosser, a fellow who lives on a woman’s prostitution.
1896		Mirror of Life 9 May 13/1: ‘Manchester’ Joe feeds half the prossers in the sporting world when green peas and asparagus are in season.
1908		Sporting Times 18 July 1/5: ‘Aren’t you ashamed of yourself, cadging money in the public streets?’ ‘Tell you the truth, I am,’ admitted the prosser.
1909		J. Ware Passing Eng. of the Victorian Era 202/1: Pros’ Avenue (Theatrical, circa 1880). The Gaiety liar (Strand). From this bar being the resort of gentlemen of ‘the profession’.
1910		‘Doss Chiderdoss’ ‘His Lincoln Form’ Sporting Times 12 Mar. 1/3: For the prossers who mump round for wets are aware / That he’s always like that before Lincoln!
1933		‘William Juniper’ True Drunkard’s Delight.
1938		J.B. Booth Sporting Times 70: The long bar at the Gaiety, generally known as the ‘Whispering Gallery’ or ‘Prossers’ Avenue’.
1970		B. Aldiss Hand-Reared Boy 113: One had a study of one’s own in what was called Prosser’s Row.

2. a pimp.

1873

Sl. Dict. 261: Pross In this latter capacity the word is in connexion with prostitute, a prosser being considered a most degraded being, and the word being supposed by many to represent a man who lives on a woman’s prostitution.