Green’s Dictionary of Slang

bandit n.

1. (US) a coin-operated gaming machine, a fruit machine [abbr. SE one-armed bandit].

[US] in J.H. Clarke Harlem, USA 173: But who wants to be bothered with li’l ol’ women and their damned nickles [sic] and dimes playin’ the bandits [HDAS].
[US]‘Heat Moon’ Blue Highways 102: Bandits wouldn’t tum a dime if they didn’t rattle and roll [HDAS].
[Scot]I. Welsh ‘A Soft Touch’ in Acid House 46: She came in the other day, intae the pub, while ah was oan the bandit like.
[UK]R. Milward Ten Storey Love Song 177: Marshy [...] keeps looking over at Ellen from the bandit.

2. (US) an attractive woman.

[US]E. Torres After Hours 166: They hate it when you got a fine bandit witchoo.

3. a villain, a criminal.

[UK]A. Sillitoe Start in Life (1979) 81: Maybe we’ll find out the name of the bandit who did it.

4. see arse bandit n.

SE in slang uses

In phrases

like a bandit (adv.)

(US) enthusiastically, very fast, very successfully.

[US]College Sl. Research Project (Cal. State Poly. Uni., Pomona) 🌐 Mug down (verb) To make out (kissy-kissy) like bandits.