Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (UK Und.) to rob, by trickery rather than violence; thus poller, a confidence trickster.

1514		Skelton Agenst Garnesche iii line 36: A bawdy dyscheclowte, That bryngyth the worlde abowte With haftynge and with polleynge.
c.1535		R. Copland Hye Way to Spyttel House Div: By vsury, rapyn and extorcyon, Do poulle the pore folke of theyr porcyon.
1548		Hall Union in Halliwell Dict. Archaic and Provincial Words II 635/2: And have wynked at the pollyng and extorcion of hys unmeasurable officiers .
1552		G. Walker Detection of Vyle and Detestable Use of Dice Play 23: I shall paint you anon a proper kind of pouling.
1562		J. Heywood Fifth Hundred of Epigrams (1867) 193: Our barbers polle no heads, our barbers polle purses.
1575-83		‘Bashe Libel’ in May & Bryson Verse Libel 77: Privy promoters and paravayers, / Pollers, takers, and pilferers.
1592		Greene Quip for an Upstart Courtier C4: A veuet breeches there be of your crue [...] who by polling and selling of land [...] will bestowe all to buy an office about the court.
1600		W. Kemp Nine Days’ Wonder in Arber Eng. Garner VII (1883) 37: One that hath not wit enough to make a ballet [...] would Pol his father, Derick his dad!
1616		W. Haughton English-Men For My Money D2: That graunde amico [...] Will poll you, I and pill you of your Wife.
a.1626		Bacon ‘Judicature’ in Essays (1875) 552: Neither can justice yield her fruit with sweetness among the briars and brambles of catching and polling clerks and ministers [F&H].
1839		H. Brandon Dict. of the Flash or Cant Lang. 167/2: To poll a fellow – applied to fences, who get hold of property and then refuse to pay for it.
1893		P.H. Emerson Signor Lippo 13: I spose he wants to accuse us of polling – a thing I never done in my life.
1895		C. Crowe Aus. Sl. Dict. 60: Poll Him, rob him.
1907		Sun. Times (Perth) 17 Nov. 4/8: There blasted sow wot come in ’ere an’ polled on me fer three long beers an’ arf me cigarettes.

2. (UK Und.) to cheat one’s accomplice in crime.

1839		H. Brandon Dict. of the Flash or Cant Lang. in ‘Ducange Anglicus’ Vulgar Tongue (1857) [note] To Poll – to cheat of one’s share.
1857		‘Ducange Anglicus’ Vulgar Tongue.
1859		Matsell Vocabulum 68: poll him Get hold of the property, and then refuse to pay for it.
1864, 1867, 1870		Hotten Sl. Dict.
1869		Australasian (Melbourne) 17 July 8/5: To poll is to rob an accomplice.
1893		P.H. Emerson Signor Lippo 13: It would be a nice thing for me if it got buzzed about amongst the waxies I was a poller.

3. to ignore, to snub.

1890–1904

Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.

4. (Aus.) to take advantage of someone’s good nature.

1918		Aussie (France) V June 3/2: I carried the heavy load last time. You War Babies are always swinging the lead and polling on us old blokes!
1924		(con. WWI) A.G. Pretty Gloss. Sl. [...] in the A.I.F. 1921–1924 (rev. t/s) n.p.: poll. To take advantage of anothers [sic] good nature.