Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. free, gratis; also as adv.

1916		Daily Mail 1 Nov. 4/4: ‘Buckshee’ (probably derived from back-sheesh, meaning extra rations, or anything over after an issue has been made – buckshee loaf, buckshee ‘fags’, etc.).
1917		Rising Sun 1 Jan. 4/1: Diary of an Anzac [...] 2 p.m. Afternoon Parade. Given ‘bucsheesh’ picket for commenting audibly on Parade on general rottenness of things.
1919		Aussie (France) 12 Mar. 9/2: Nothing will convince the old girl that we did not do her out of her rightful share of buckshee vin rouge.
1921		F. Grose A Rough Y.M. Bloke 37: He would credit the Y.M.C.A. [...] when we could supply ‘buckshee’ cigarettes, matches, etc., for the diggers.
1922		Joyce Ulysses 478: You have that something within, the higher self. [...] You once nobble that, congregation, and a buck joyride to heaven becomes a back number.
1929		(con. 1916) F. Manning Her Privates We (1986) 28: If you can scrounge any buckshee rum for tea in the morning the cover will keep it good.
1936		J. Curtis Gilt Kid 244: Next buckshee kettle that comes my way I’ll just stick to it.
1938		Press (Canterbury) 2 Apr. 18: [F]rom Egyptian, ‘buckshee’ and ‘disaster’ for piastre.
1942		P. Larkin letter 18 Oct. in Thwaite Sel. Letters (1992) 46: By the way, John is just terrible this term: ‘Ugh – ugh – ugh – getcha chocolate – buckshee (free) no coupons – ugh – ugh.’.
1947		J. Maclaren-Ross Of Love And Hunger 8: You’d think women’d jump at the chance of having their carpets cleaned buckshee.
1957		G. Kersh Fowlers End (2001) 172: On the bum for buckshee tears—for which, from time to time, you have a craving when the ducts are dry and there is nothing to cry about.
1963		A.E. Farrell Vengeance 156: I’ve never known a nigger turn down buckshee baccy.
1966		P. Boyle At Night All Cats Are Grey 66: The greedy gulpin always tore his way through a drink for fear he’d miss the chance of another going buckshee.
1968		S. Gore Holy Smoke 10: I know your form: all you’re after is a buckshee look at the battle.
1979		J. Morrow Confessions of Proinsias O’Toole 80: I [...] managed to sneak out with a bottle of buckshee Powers.
1980		Barltrop & Wolveridge Muvver Tongue 33: ‘Buckshee’ is the Cockney word for free.
1983		J. Byrell (con. 1959) Up the Cross 64: Veronica had even been known to play the dead horse game buckshee.
1996		J. Byrell Lairs, Urgers & Coat-Tuggers 42: [H]e gave over most of his time to his hard-up buckshee patients and less to the uppercrusters.
1998		I. Welsh Filth 207: Sorry I cannae let ye have them buckshee Bruce.
2000		J.J. Connolly Layer Cake 123: A mate sorted me out a car buckshee and a job so I went to work drivin.
2012		(con. 1980s) I. Welsh Skagboys 497: What’s the chances ay a couple ay buckshee tickets tae see a certain Dutch chanteuse tonight?

2. (US Und.) released from jail.

1935

A.J. Pollock Und. Speaks 14/2: Buckshee, free, released.

3. obtained irregularly.

1941		G. Kersh They Die with Their Boots Clean 187: He gets hold of a buckshee Bren, he does, and he rushes forward firing from the hip.
2011		J.J. Connolly Viva La Madness 255: To rinse out the buckshee accounts it would make more sense to head straight for New York.