mason n.1
(UK Und.) one who acquires goods fraudulently by giving a bill that they do not intend to honour; thus masoning n.
![[UK]](/static/img/flags/uk.png "United Kingdom") | Discoveries (1774) 9: We would buy a horse or two, and give our Notes for the Money, telling the Dealer we lived at a Town where we did not. This is called Masoning. [Ibid.] 17: He did not know that they were stolen, but thought they were got on the Mason, i.e., for Paper. |
In derivatives
(UK Und.) one who gives a promissory note in exchange for a purchase, with no intention of honouring it.
| Discoveries (1774) 33: Masoners are a Set of People that give Paper for Goods. [Ibid.] 42: I’m a Masoner; buy Goods for Paper. | |
| Whole Art of Thieving 14: Masoners are a sett of people that give papers for goods. |
SE in slang uses
In compounds
a fake sore, placed above the elbow and counterfeiting a broken arm caused by a fall from a scaffold.
| Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Masons-mawn’d c. a Sham sore above the Elbow, to counterfeit a broken Arm, by a Fall from a Scaffold, expos’d by subtil Beggers, to move Compassion, and get Money. | |
| New Canting Dict. [as cit. c.1698]. | |
| , , , | | Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. [as cit. c.1698]. |
| , , | | Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: Mason’s mawnd, a sham sore above the elbow, to counterfeit a broken arm, by a fall from a scaffold. |
| Lex. Balatronicum. |