Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. one who supplies private loans.

1849		Sam Sly 14 Apr. 3/3: We advise that old Shylock, David L—vy, of High-street, not to be so fond of enticing respectable boys into his den.
[1854		F. St. Clair Six Days in the Metropolis 39: A herd of curb stone brokers of the most despicable and dangerous description; Shylocks and men worse than Shylocks — blood-suckers].
1855		Life in Boston & N.Y. (Boston, MA) 14 Apr. n.p.: [headline] The Shylocks Triumphant! — Curb Stone Brokers Cutting It Fat!
1866		Sportsman 4 Dec. 2/1: Notes on News [...] The working man has his special Shylocks, the promoters of loan societies advertised on staring placards public-house windows.
1866		C.H. Smith Bill Arp 71: And how consoling to hear that other eloquent remark from a trafficking Shylock of a French-German-Jew, ‘I tot I could make some of de monish here ’mong dese officere, but by tam, dese quartermasters too tam hones; I do nothin’ wid dem.’.
1871		Luton Times 29 July 3/5: Our artist now in different style i seen — / A Shylock — mobney-lender, or what you mean.
1880		Nat. Police Gaz. (NY) 25 Sept. 11/4: They are pawnbrokers and money-lenders. These criminal Shylocks are more exacting than the ‘uncles’.
1883		Bristol Magpie 11 Jan. 3/2: [A] common, hard-fisted Dutchman [...] a regular money-lending, two-per cent. a-month Shylock ; came here from Germany many years ago.
1885		Bulletin (Sydney) 7 Mar. 17/2: David Henry, the Melbourne Shylock, recently charged a man £100 for a £20 loan on some property in England. The property in England, however, turned out to be a castle in Spain, and great sympathy was felt for David by – the perthorminent membarth of the thingagogsh.
1895		C. Crowe Aus. Sl. Dict. 73: Shylock, an exorbitant money-lender.
1898		Binstead & Wells Pink ’Un and Pelican 110: There is a natural [...] prejudice in the public mind against all money-lenders, and the showing-up of a whole market bunch of Shylocks afforded the liveliest satisfaction.
1899		Kipling ‘The Impressionists’ in Complete Stalky & Co. (1987) 106: He thinks you’re a set of filthy Shylocks.
1901		Bulletin (Sydney) 7 Sept. 7/1: But, with regard to Hughes’ Bill, Shylock is shaking in his shoes because such a measure would ‘get at’ him properly. It is rumored that the worst of the money-lenders [...] intend to spare no expense in blocking the measure.
1905		A. Binstead Mop Fair 57: Lord Catterick had a record in Jewry that the Shylocks themselves kept sweet only as an antidote to gluttony.
1917		F. Packard Adventures of Jimmie Dale (1918) I vii: A money lender, a Shylock without even a Shylock’s humanity as a saving grace!
1929		J. Lait Broadway Melody 20: He was no grifter and no Shylock.
1931		D. Runyon ‘Blood Pressure’ in Runyon on Broadway (1954) 78: There are also guys present who are called Shylocks, because they will lend you dough.
1938		A.J. Liebling ‘The Jollity Building’ in Just Enough Liebling (2004) 245: Will you okay me with a Shylock, Morty?
1939		Howsley Argot: Dict. of Und. Sl. 45: shylock – pawnbroker; one who drives a hard bargain.
1949		I. Shulman Cry Tough! 127: I know a shylock that’ll give you a break if you tell him I sent you.
1952		I, Mobster 62: What kind of Shylocks are going to lend you fifty, sixty grand?
1955		B. Schulberg On the Waterfront (1964) 16: He [...] put their husbands on as dues collectors and shylocks.
1967		J. Breslin World of Jimmy Breslin (1968) 9: So you like pressuring people, do you? [...] Who the hell are you to come around here like a shylock?
1969		M. Puzo Godfather 101: The man was the collector of delinquent accounts for Family-licensed shylocks.
1973		G.V. Higgins Digger’s Game (1981) 66: It don’t matter, what shy got the paper.
1975		E. Torres Carlito’s Way 13: Jakie was into the shylocks for fifty thou.
1981		H. Gould Fort Apache, The Bronx 270: Thieves, gorillas, small time shylocks.
1989		H. Rawson Dict. of Invective (1991) 355: shylock. An usurer, an extortioner; loosely, any lender of money or extender of credit.
1991		R.G. Barratt ‘This Isn’t Union Bashing, But’ in What Do You Reckon (1997) [ebook] At least I didn’t have to borrow all that much from the Shylocks at the bank.
1996		S. Frank Get Shorty [film script] Well, basically, this guy owes a shylock fifteen thousand, plus he’s a few weeks behind on the vig, the interest you have to pay.
2001		N. Green Shooting Dr. Jack (2002) 46: Some shylock he owed came to the house.
2008		J. Breslin Good Rat 58: On the streets somebody who who can’t get the rent paid [...] takes cash from a shylock [...] When you see people punching numbers into a wall and getting money [...] There’s your shy.

2. attrib. use of sense 1.

1866		Night Side of N.Y. 5: A club where money changers, Jews and Shylock stockbrokers carry on their exciting trade.
1876		J. Miller First Fam’lies in the Sierras 13: A cross between a Shylock-Jew and a flint-faced Yankee.
1896		‘Frederick Benton Williams’ (H.E. Hamblen) On Many Seas 212: I had to [...] see the fellows I had intended to sell out to at such Shylock rates drink my rum free-gratis and for nothing.
1952		I, Mobster 106: Maybe more dough for the shylock business.
1978		R. Daley Prince of the City 189: Once installed [...] the detective would become subject to and take part in shakedowns, shylock operations, truck hijacks.
2001		C. Stella Eddie’s World 109: You can’t jerk around while you’re picking up shy money.

3. (also sherlock) a crooked businessman.

1900		J. London ‘Odyssey of the North’ Complete Short Stories (1993) I 235: An old Shylock of a Russian trader, who had dogs to kill.
1916		R. Lardner ‘Champion’ in Coll. Short Stories (1941) 121: I’m willin’ to hear what you think is fair. I don’t want nobody callin’ me a Sherlock.
1923		M. Garahan Stiffs 131: You blooming old Shylock!

4. a derog. generic for a Jew.

[1760		B. Weatherby Great News from Hell 22: Vere be de Lotterie Dickets and de Pank Notes, dat you hafe of me [...] ?’ Poor Shylock, says I, What cannot you forgive me yet? [...] ‘Out you Pische,says he, you tam’t Pische!’].
c.1905		J. Furphy Rigby’s Romance (1921) Ch. xxxiii: 🌐 One of the Rothschilds [...] encountered an interested agitator, and the two fell into discussion. Finally, Shylock took out his tablets and made a calculation.
1933		E. Wallace ‘The Greek Poropulos’ in Goodstone Pulps (1970) 13/1: Where’s Shylock [...] Shylockstein, the Lothario of Carolina.

5. attrib. use of sense 4.

1998

D.McKenna Amer. Hist. X [film script] You think I’m gonna sit here and smile while some fuckin’ kike tries to fuck my mother? [...] I will fuckin’ cut your Shylock nose off and stick it up your ass before I let that happen.