Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (also jakeball) a beggar; an alcoholic vagrant .

1998		I. Welsh Filth 18: It has the aftertaste of a jakey’s lips after a binge on the old purple tin.
2003		N. Griffiths Stump 89: Broken bits of bread bestowed by a one-armed ex-jakey.
2009		T. Black Gutted 196: That fucking jakey was away with it. He was off his nut on meths.
2012		(con. 1980s) I. Welsh Skagboys 7: Some pickets are being harassed by a change-scrounging jakey whae keeps staggerin’ intae the night.
2016		V. McDermid Out of Bounds (2017) 15: Obnoxious jakies, reeking of cheap booze.
2018		I. Welsh Dead Man’s Trousers 116: Spud is a semi-jakeball and has a scabby wee dug in tow.
2022		A. Parks May God Forgive 331: An old jakey stopped.

2. in attrib. use of sense 1.

2012		(con. 1980s) I. Welsh Skagboys 69: I can see them now down at tne hostel, swapping jakey tales of woe.
2014		T. Black Artefacts of the Dead [ebook] The jakey brigade . . . you get used to it.

3. see jake n.³ (1)