file n.1
1. a pickpocket.
Wandring-Whores Complaint title: A full discovery of the whole Trade of [...] Bawds, Whores, Fyles, Culls, Mobs, Budges, Shop-lifts, Glasiers, Mills, Bulkers, [...] and all other Artists, who are, and have been, Students of Whittington Colledge. | ||
Canting Academy (2nd edn) 28: A whole gang of rogues, distinguished by Files, Lifts, Gilts, Budges, Runners, Heavers, &c. | ||
A Warning for House-Keepers 6: A File is a Pickpocket, a Bulk is his tame-Rogue, who goes alwaies with the File, for he can do nothing without the File. | ||
Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: File, c. a Pick-pocket. | ||
Hudibras Redivivus II:5 16: Jilts, Shoplifts, Files and brimstone B—s. | ||
Conduct of Receivers and Thief-Takers 14: It was my Opinion they were inclinable to turn Files, (alias Pick-Pockets). | ||
Narrative of Street-Robberies 28: As to Hulks, Finebones, Black Isaac, &c. they were but Under-strappers, tho’ Black Isaac could Bite a Clout, as dexterously as any File in Town. | ||
, , , | Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. n.p.: A file, or Bungnipper, Pick-pockets, who generally go in Company with a Rogue, called a Bulk or Bulker, whose Business ’tis to jostle the Person against the Wall, while the File picks his Pocket; and generally gives it to an Adam Tiler, who scowers off with it. | |
Life and Character of Moll King 12: harry: But who had you in your Ken last Darkee? moll: We had your Dudders and your Duffers, Files, Buffers, and Slangers. | ||
Scoundrel’s Dict. 18: Partners to Files – Shoulder-shams. [Ibid.] 29: The File is the same as the Diver, tho’ for the most part he goes without the Bulk, and was formerly known by the Title of the Bung-nipper, because of a horn Thumb and sharp Knife, he used to cut the Pockets clean off, with all that was in them. | ||
(con. 1710–25) Tyburn Chronicle II in (1999) xxvii: A File A Pick-pocket. | ||
, , | Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue. | |
‘The Bowman Prigg’s Farewell’ in | (1995) 283: Then aideu to all kins and knots, / To kid-layers, files and trapanners.||
Vocab. of the Flash Lang. in McLachlan (1964) 240: File, in the old version of cant signified a pockpocket, but the term is now obsolete. | ||
Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue. | ||
Vocabulum 32: file A pick-pocket. The file is one who is generally accompanied by two others, one of whom is called the ‘Adam tyler;’ and the other the ‘bulker,’ or ‘staller.’. | ||
Dict. of Modern Sl. etc. (2nd edn). | ||
Sl. Dict. | ||
Amer. Tramp and Und. Sl. 72: File.–A pickpocket. | ||
Criminal Sl. (rev. edn). |
2. a shoplifter.
Discoveries (1774) 29: To caution all Shopkeepers and Salesmen against Shoplifters of both Sexes [...] There shall be generally three Persons together, called in Cant Prigger Lifts or Files [...] They will open a Piece of Stuff and hold it up between the Owner and their Partner that sits down with her Petticoats half up ready for the Word nap it; then she puts it between her Carriers (that is, a Cant Word for Thighs) and then gets up and lets her Clothes drop [...] and so walks off. |
3. (also old file upon the town) an experienced fraudster or confidence trickster.
Vocab. of the Flash Lang. in McLachlan (1964) 240: file: a person who has had a long course of experience in the arts of fraud, so as to have become an adept, is termed an old file upon the town; so it is usual to say of a man who is extremely cunning, and not to be over-reached, that he is a deep file. | ||
Real Life in London I 141: †Old files—A person who has had a long course of experience in the arts of fraud, so as to become an adept in the manoeuvres of the town, is termed a deep file—a rum file, or an old file. | ||
Paul Clifford I 147: A middle-aged man, though a very old ‘file,’ who was sentenced for getting money under false pretences. | ||
Morn. Post (London) 7 June 4/2: I find that he has lived upon the report of 25,000l. [...] its all nonsense. he is a regular old file upon the town. | ||
‘Fight with Snapping Turtle’ in Bon Gaultier Ballads 65: The old experienced file [...] Answered with a quiet smile. | ||
Virginians I 188: Will is an old file, in spite of his smooth face. |
4. an artful, cunning or shrewd person, a man, a ‘fellow’; thus old file, an old and/or experienced person.
Tom and Jerry II iv: Well, I’m off – you’re a good old file – I’ll give you a shilling for luck. | ||
Bk of Sports 160: Into the space tom ol— , the clever file, / Has stakd’ and rop’d, and made for boxer’s fit. | ||
Westmorland Gaz. 9 Dec. 8/6: If you are a cunning old file [...] With money to rent and to buy land [...] Why, your fortune is made. | ||
‘Epistle from Joe Muggins’s Dog’ in Era (London) 24 Jan. 4/1: [H]e’s a cunning old file, and chisels the green ones who want to sport their pound or two on a race beautifully. | ||
Mr Sponge’s Sporting Tour 133: Frosty’s a cunning old file. | ||
Essex Standard 28 Mar. 3/5: There were a few rum old files. | ||
Dick Temple I 57: ‘What kind of fellow is the cabman, Jack?’ ‘An old file, and well up to his work.’. | ||
Mysterious Beggar 333: Oh you old snoozer! [...] Wouldn’t I mop th’ floor with ye! Ye ugly old file! | ||
Sporting Times 13 Jan. 6/3: The knowing old file in Pretoria / Caught the ‘Stater’ with visions of gloria. | ||
Marvel 9 June 552: He’s a decent old file, Frank, you know. |
5. a pickpocket’s assistant.
Mysteries and Miseries of N.Y. I 13: Why, warn’t none of the files on the tramp? |
In compounds
a pickpocket.
DSUE (1984) 390/2: ca. 1670–1800. |
In phrases
see under deep adj.