Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (Aus./US) to borrow, to exploit someone else for one’s own advantage.

1927		C. Samolar ‘Argot of the Vagabond’ in AS II:9 391: High-grade, promote, clout, snare and glahm are synonymous verbs and mean to take what does not legally belong to one.
1934		J.M. Cain Postman Always Rings Twice (1985) 97: If I hadn’t been there, and begun promoting him for something to drink.
1938		A.J. Liebling ‘The Jollity Building’ in Telephone Booth Indian (2004) 36: The term promoter means a man who mulcts another man of a dollar, or any fraction or multiple thereof. [Ibid.] 62: He tries, unsuccessfully, to promote somebody for railroad fare.
1941		Argus (Melbourne) 15 Nov. (Supplement) 1/4: I have knocked out a rough glossary of Australian army slang [...] Promote: To borrow or scrounge something .
1947		I. Shulman Amboy Dukes 4: They wondered when they were going to have the cash to promote a trim dish like the piece hanging onto Buggsy Shaw’s arm.
1952		B. Appel Plunder (2005) 229: If we don’t promote some MP brass hat, we might as well dump these uniforms and hide out.
1958		E. Gilbert Vice Trap 74: He’s promoting the hell out of us.

2. (US Und./tramp) to obtain; to survive by theft, begging or persuasion.

1923		H.C. Witwer Fighting Blood 239: I tell him if he don’t come over to his old man with me and promote ’at ten grand I’ll cook him!
1933		‘Paul Cain’ Fast One (1936) 228: Maybe we can promote a car.
1942		Z.N. Hurston ‘Story in Harlem Sl.’ in Novels and Stories (1995) 1006: You skillets is trying to promote a meal on me.
1952		(con. 1910s) ‘Harry Grey’ Hoods (1953) 21: Maybe we can promote your uncle for some hot dogs.
1953		W.L. Alderson ‘Carnie Talk’ AS XXVIII:2 118: promote, v. To obtain—by begging, borrowing, or stealing.
2003		J. Ellroy ‘Stephanie’ in Destination: Morgue! (2004) 59: He invited her to a movie [...] He tried to promote a fuck.

3. (US) to seduce; to flatter.

1939		J. Latimer Red Gardenias 117: That monkey’s been trying to promote me for months.
1972		B. Rodgers Queens’ Vernacular 159: promote 1. to proposition somebody 2. to butter up.