Green’s Dictionary of Slang

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

1514

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1907

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

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1893

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.

a.1904

1890–1904

Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.

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

1918

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1924

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.