Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(UK Und.) chatter.

c.1850

Duncombe New and Improved Flash Dict.

speech, conversation.

1902

H. Baumann ‘Sl. Ditty’ Londinismen (2nd edn) vii: Now then there is yer sumptuous / Tuck-in of most scrumptious / And dainty mag-pie! / Will ye jes’ come and try?

money obtained by verbal trickery or fraud.

1838

Town ‘The Swell Mob’ 27 Jan. n.p.: A magsman must, of necessity be a great actor, and a most studious observer of human nature... Without [these attributes] a man might as well attempt to fly as to go out for a ‘mag-stake’ [F&H].

(UK Und.) to work as a confidence trickster.

1887

W.E. Henley ‘Villon’s Straight Tip’ in Farmer Musa Pedestris (1896) 176: Dead-lurk a crib, or do a crack; / Pad with a slang, or chuck a mag.

(Aus.) to fall into conversation.

1998

R.G. Barrett Mud Crab Boogie (2013) [ebook] Les didn’t say anything, but Billy got a mag on with her and told her he’d once boxed professionally.

to be quiet, to stop talking, esp. in imper. stow your mag!, shut up!

1823		‘Jon Bee’ Dict. of the Turf, the Ring, the Chase, etc. 116: ‘Stow magging,’ cease talking.
1857		‘Ducange Anglicus’ Vulgar Tongue.
1894		Truth (Sydney) 23 Dec. 1/5: Drop magging [...] and get to biz.

1. to talk duplicitously, to fool a gullible victim .

1833

‘The Cly-Pecker’ in Swell!!! or, Slap-Up Chaunter 38: When their peepers were open, she tip’d them her mag; / The charleys were call’d, ’cause the traps were not fly, / So they misle’d her off with a limber ken drag. / Then I heard not a sound – but the slang of her rag, / And the next day the beaks made her grind at the mill.

2. to talk, to orate.

1881

‘’Arry on Woman Rights’ in Punch 2 Apr. 156/1: Old Ringlets [...] Tipped the mag with as much bellows-blowing as though he’d two tongues in his cheeks.