prancer, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

prancer n.

also prauncer

[SE prancer, a mettlesome, spirited horse]

(UK Und.)

1. a horse.

c.1566		implied in prigger of prancers under prigger n.¹
1591		Second Part of Conny-Catching in Grosart (1881–3) X 76: [They] doe take an especiall and perfect view where Prankers or horses be, that are of worth.
1592		Groundworke of Conny-catching A3(b): Hee pryg a prauncer, he byng a wast into the darkemans.
1608		Dekker Belman of London G1: The horse is called a Prancer.
1610		Rowlands Martin Mark-all 40: Prauncer an horse.
1622		Beaumont & Fletcher Beggar’s Bush V ii: Higgen hath prigged the prancers in his day.
1630		Tinker of Turvey 5: Purblind he was and hardly could he iudge [...] to buy a Prancer.
1640		Wandering Jew 66: I have seen fine fellows on their prauncers ride by mee.
1669		W. Winstanley New Help To Discourse 132: Prigger of Prancers, are Horse-stealers, for to Prig in the Canting language signifies to steal; and Prancer signifies a Horse.
1688		R. Holme Academy of Armory Ch. iii item 68c: Canting Terms used by Beggars, Vagabonds, Cheaters, Cripples and Bedlams. [...] Prancer, an Horse.
1690		Pagan Prince 32: He saw a comly person mounted upon a stately Prancer.
1707		J. Shirley Triumph of Wit 194: The Prancer drew the Quere Cove at the cropping of the Rottam through the Rum pads of the Rum-vill.
1713		W. King York Spy 5: A Horse-Mountebank stumbled along upon his Hide-bound Prancer.
1724		‘Frisky Moll’s Song’ J. Thurmond Harlequin Sheppard 22: From Priggs that snaffle the Prancers strong, / To you of the Peter Lay, / I pray now listen a while to my song.
1737		Pope Mother Gin 29: I two prancers snaffled.
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict.
1741		Canting Academy, or the Pedlar’s-French Dict. 115: Horse A Prancer.
1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1788		Morris et al. ‘The Humours of London’ Festival of Anacreon (1810) 65: Hughes and Astley beat the rounds upon their nimble prancers.
1801		G. Hangar Life, Adventures and Opinions II 60: Your flash-man, is following his occupation, scampering on his prancer upon the high tober.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1821		‘An Amateur’ Real Life in London I 612: The queer fancy lads, who had hired hacks from the livery-stable keepers, were kicking up a dust, and here and there rolling from their prancers in their native soil.
1834		(con. 1737–9) W.H. Ainsworth Rookwood (1857) 186: Forth to the heath is the scampsman gone, / His matchless cherry-black prancer riding.
1848		‘Ned Buntline’ Mysteries and Miseries of N.Y. I 36: I prigged two prancers.
1859		Hotten Dict. of Modern Sl. etc.
1862		E. de la Bédollière Londres et les Anglais 317/1: prancer, cheval.
1868		Liverpool Mercury 2 Dec. 3/1: A thief in cant language would term a horse a ‘prancer’ or a ‘prad’ while in slang a man of fashion would speak of it as a ‘bit of blood’ or a ‘spanker’.
1870		Hotten Sl. Dict.
1885		Bulletin (Sydney) 7 Feb. 7/1: For many years, the old ’un not only put up his cash to swell the racing funds of the colony, but he kept a string of flyers himself as well, and was no mean judge of a prancer, either.
1895		C. Crowe Aus. Sl. Dict. 61: Prancer, a horse.
1901		Sydney Sportsman (Surry Hills, NSW) 23 Jan. 1/3: Then, having permitted the prancers in front to proceed in safety, he let her head go.

2. a horse thief.

c.1535		R. Copland Hye way to the Spyttel House Eiii: His watch shall feng a prounces nobchete.
1671		‘L.B.’ New Academy of Complements 205: The fifteenth a Prancer, whose courage is small, / If they catch him Horse coursing he’s noozed for all.
1712		‘Black Procession’ in Farmer Musa Pedestris (1896) 39: [as cit. 1671].
1790		‘The Bowman Prigg’s Farewell’ in Wardroper (1995) 283: Here’s health to the beauman prigs, / From the rum pad down to the prancer.
1869		‘Thief-Catcher’s Prophecy’ in W.H. Logan Pedlar’s Pack of Ballads 143: [as cit. 1671].

3. (Aus.) a cavalry officer.

1895

C. Crowe Aus. Sl. Dict. 61: Prancer, [...] an officer of cavalry.

4. a highwayman.

1984

Partridge DSUE (8th edn) 919/1: C17.

In compounds

prancer’s nab (n.) (also prancer’s nob, ...poll) [nab n.¹ (1)/nob n.¹ (1)/SE poll, head]

(UK Und.) a horse’s head seal, when used for counterfeiting documents.

c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Prancers-nab c. a Horse’s Head used in a Sham-Seal to such a Pass.
1725		New Canting Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.

prancer’s poll (n.)

(UK Und.) a horse’s head, usu. in ref. to the popular public house name, ‘The Nag’s Head’.

c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Prancers-poll [...] the Sign of the Nag’s Head.
1725		New Canting Dict. [as cit. c.1698].
1785		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: [...] at the sign of the prancer’s poll, i.e. the nag’s head.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: At the sign of the prancer’s poll, i.e. the nag’s head.