Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a cab-driver.

1826		Pierce Egan’s Life in London 9 July 613/1: Kirkman, had won [...] and Savage, the Prop. of a Cab was savage that he had lost the battle , and was therefore determined to have another shy for the honour of the Cabby Coves.
1852		F.E. Smedley Lewis Arundel Ch. xxxiii: I was forced to offer him a seat in the cab, but he coolly replied, ‘No, thank ye... I’ll sit beside cabby’ [F&H].
1858		R.S. Surtees Ask Mamma 264: They were better than nothing, and often formed receptacles for sly cabby’s, or postboys.
1858		Bell’s Life in Sydney 24 July 3/1: [heading] The Rival Cabbies. Charles Jackson, the juvenile driver of a patent Hansom [etc.].
1861		(con. 1840s–50s) H. Mayhew London Labour and London Poor I 439/1: I say, cabby, where the h-- are you going?
1867		R. Whiteing Mr Sprouts, His Opinions 29: I [...] gives the kabby ’arf-a-krown.
1879		London Life 24 May 7/2: Cabby, indeed, is not always so civil as he might be [...] but we fancy that in nine cases out of ten the driver has more reason to complain of the fare than the fare of the driver.
1888		‘Rolf Boldrewood’ Robbery Under Arms (1922) 334: Starlight hails a cabby [...] and gets him to drive him over to the inn.
1894		H. Lawson ‘Enter Mitchell’ in Roderick (1972) 131: The swagman turned slowly and regarded cabby with a quiet grin.
1901		Boy’s Own Paper 20 July 658: Drive on, cabby, I’m in a hurry.
1909		N.Z. Truth 30 Jan. 5/1: [He] had caught his eye on cabby’s number.
1914		E. Wittmann ‘Clipped Words’ in DN IV:ii 144: cabby (cab) from cabman.
1925		Wodehouse Carry on, Jeeves 75: He was trying to get the cabby to switch from New York to London prices.
1935		R.T. Hopkins Life and Death at the Old Bailey 101: ‘Know you!’ exploded the cabby. ‘Why, you silly old blighter, I could never forget a mug like yours.’.
1941		J.K. Butler ‘Saint in Silver’ in Goulart (1967) 54: Come on, cabby, let’s take a look.
1958		D. Stivens Scholarly Mouse and other Tales 2: The cabby was so shocked at hearing a dog speak he ran his cab up on the footpath.
1961		L. MacNeice ‘The Taxis’ in Coll. Poems 522: He tipped ninepence / But the cabby, while he thanked him, looked askance / As though to suggest someone had bummed a ride.
1978		A. Maupin Tales of the City (1984) 43: Mrs Miller could slip into a monologue with all the precision of a New York cabby.
1989		C. Hiaasen Skin Tight 109: He said the cabbie would take her straight to the hotel.
1996		J. Byrell Lairs, Urgers & Coat-Tuggers 154: Then he takes out 173 quids [...] and tells the cabbie to please take him to his boarding house.
1999		K. Sampson Powder 386: I’m in the hands of whichever friendly local cabbie takes the fare.
2000		Guardian G2 24 Jan. 16: Foolish as these words may seem to anyone familiar with the practices of some Heathrow cabbies.
2015		I. Welsh Decent Ride 6: Checker is finding it difficult to understand this cabbie.