oliver, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

oliver n.

also Sir Oliver

1. the moon [? the ‘O’ shape].

1753		J. Poulter Discoveries (1774) 43: ’Tis a rum Darky, and Oliver shows; ’tis a good Night and the Moon shines.
1791		‘Flash Lang.’ in Confessions of Thomas Mount 19: The moon, Oliver’s leary.
1809		G. Andrewes Dict. Sl. and Cant.
1811		Caledonian Mercury 14 Oct. 4/2: Toasts and bumpers had so often gone round that Mr Maltby was getting on board, but Sir Oliver’s resplendence conducted the company home before twelve in good order.
1812		Vaux Vocab. of the Flash Lang.
1823		‘Jon Bee’ Dict. of the Turf, the Ring, the Chase, etc.
1836		‘The Chap Who The Ball Cocks Hangs’ in Flash Casket 93: We walk when pale Oliver’s hid.
1845		J. Lindridge Sixteen-String Jack 107: Forward wid the moke, do you hear, or we shall have Oliver looking after us before we know it.
1848		Ladies’ Repository (N.Y.) Oct. VIII:37 316/2: Oliver’s Night-Cap, the hour the moon goes down.
1859		Hotten Dict. of Modern Sl. etc. 71: OLIVER, the moon.
1864, 1867, 1870		Hotten Sl. Dict. [as cit. 1859].
1873		Sl. Dict.
1882		Sydney Sl. Dict. (2 edn) 6: Oliver - The moon. ‘When Oliver looks pale,’ when the moon is waning.
1895		H.B. Marriott-Watson in New Rev. 7 July n.p.: There’s a moon out [...] What – Oliver? damn Oliver! [F&H].
1907		D. Stewart Shadows of the Night in Illus. Police News 7 Dec. 12/3: ‘I don’t see as we has ne’er a chance with Oliver (the moon) a shining as it is to-night’.
1909		F.H. Tillotson How I Became a Detective 93: Oliver – The moon.
1927		‘Jargon of the Und.’ in DN V 457: Oliver, The moon.
1931		Irwin Amer. Tramp and Und. Sl. 137: Oliver.–The moon. Another word from old English cant.
1949		Monteleone Criminal Sl. (rev. edn) 196: root with the oliver To commit a crime while the moon is not shining.

2. (US) the nose.

1879

Cincinnati Enquirer 7 Sept. 10/7: Oliver—The nose.

3. see oliver (twist) n.

In phrases

oliver is in town

(UK Und.) the moon is full, and thus the nights are too light for stealing safely.

1833		H. Smith Gale Middleton 1 153: Oliver’s not in town tonight!
1835		Metropolitan Mag. XIV Sept. Oliver unfortunately being in town that night, which enabled him to see at some distance: .
1984		Partridge DSUE (8th edn) 828/1: 1780 [...] nearly † 1860.

oliver’s up

the moon has risen.

1984

Partridge DSUE (8th edn) 828/1: 1780 [...] nearly † 1860.

oliver whiddles (also oliver wheedles)

the moon is shining; often in negative.

1747		Life and Character of Moll King 12: As Oliver wheedles, I’ll not touch this Darkee, I’ll nap the Pad.
1781		G. Parker View of Society II 132: These fellows (the Peterers) infested the out-skirts of the Metropolis some years ago, and about Darkey, or when Oliver don’t widdle, watched country carriages, and cut off whatever was tied to them.
1859		Hotten Dict. of Modern Sl. etc. 71: ‘Oliver don’t widdle,’ i.e. the moon does not rise.
1864, 1867, 1870		Hotten Sl. Dict. [as cit. 1859].
1881		Newcastle Courant 9 Sept. 6/5: ‘Good thing Oliver don’t widdle,’ mutters one of them.
1895		Crowe Aus. Sl. Dict. 96: Widdle, to shine ‘Oliver don’t widdle;’ the moon does not shine.