Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (UK Und.) a meeting place.

1865

Leaves from Diary of Celebrated Burglar 68/2: This was a regular ‘meet’ for the ‘cop’ and those who were ‘ryebuck’ with him, and when anything ‘came off,’ it was here they were to meet and ‘put it round’.

2. (orig. US) a meeting, appointment, in 20C+ esp. for illicit purposes such as drug selling [now SE].

1865		Leaves from Diary of Celebrated Burglar 5/1: One of the ‘guns’ [...] had brought his ‘moll’ with him to show her off before the ‘meet’.
1879		‘Autobiog. of a Thief’ in Macmillan’s Mag. (London) XL 503: At six I was at the meet (trysting-place).
1889		‘’Arry in Parry’ in Punch 29 June in P. Marks (2006) 95: This is a rum meet.
1905		‘Hugh McHugh’ You Can Search Me 62: I told her we had a business meet on here.
1915		C.J. Dennis ‘The Intro’ in Songs of a Sentimental Bloke 23: I dunno ’ow I ’ad the nerve ter speak / An’ make that meet wiv ’er fer Sundee week!
1924		G. Henderson Keys to Crookdom 411: Meet. A rendezvous. A crooks’ hang-out.
1938		J.E. O’Donnell ‘Overcoat Bennie’ in Mss. from the Federal Writers’ Project 🌐 On that first ‘meet’ he inspected the swag and set a price and arranged a second ‘meet.’ There was always a second ‘meet,’ because Bennie never bought anything until he had first found a customer for the loot.
1941		V. Davis Phenomena in Crime 52: It led him to the ‘meet’.
1950		P. Hoskins No Hiding Place! 191/1: Make a Meet. Fix an appointment.
1952		I, Mobster 32: You shouldn’t make no meets without telling me first.
1962		R. Cook Crust on its Uppers 38: He’s dead keen on a meet.
1970		G.F. Newman Sir, You Bastard 161: Manso was trying to make a meet with you.
1989		C. Hiaasen Skin Tight 285: Impatiently Chemo said, ‘So where the meet?’.
1990		S. Morgan Homeboy 281: That psychotic slug has sent his hatchet for a meet.
2000		J.J. Connolly Layer Cake 17: We were running kit all over London, making meets to sort things out [...] and the rest as they say is history.
2007		(con. 1962) E. Bunker Stark 14: How was he going to make his meet, with Dummy watching his every move?
2011		J.J. Connolly Viva La Madness 72: He loved [...] the meets in dark places, the ready-eyes, the codes, the phone taps.
2021		J. Ellroy Widespread Panic 183: Max made the meet. 6.00 p.m. at Ollie Hammond’s.

3. (US) a gathering for the purpose of an activity, usu. sport, e.g. a swim meet, also a conference or convention.

1928		R.J. Tasker Grimhaven 214: Preparations were being made for a field meet that took place twice each year in prison.
1986		C. Hiaasen Tourist Season (1987) 332: He wants to be buried in that pine coffin he got from the swap meet.
1993		S. King Dolores Claiborne 252: She went to Boston for a swim-meet.
1995		J. Cameron Vinnie Got Blown Away 136: Never clocked a meet like it. Never had a meeting before, none of us knew how to get started.
2000		T. Blacker Kill Your Darlings 195: All you’d have to do is turn up for a few meets and come up with some titles.