The Vulgar Tongue

[ChaosImp]

I thought you guys might like this, I found the translation of the thieves cant ( also called the vulgar tongue).

CANT TO ENGLISH

-A-
Abbess:

the mistress of a brothel
Abram:

naked
Abram cove:

a word used among thieves which signifies a naked or poor man It can also mean a lusty strong rogue
Abram men:

a beggar who pretends to be mad
To sham abram:

to pretend to be sick
Academy:

brothel
Ace of spades:

a widow
Acorn:

to ride a horse foaled by an acorn, is to be hanged on the gallows
Adam Tiler:

a pickpockets associate, who receives the stolen goods, and runs off with them
Affidavit Men:

a witness for hire Someone who will swear to anything in court if paid to do so
Air and exercise:

He has had air and exercise, ie he has been whipped at the carts tail
Ambidexter:

a lawyer who garners fees from both plaintiff and defender
To amuse:

to fling dust into the eyes of the person intended to be robbed; also to invent some plausible tale to delude a shopkeeper in order to put them off their guard
Amusers:

a rogue who uses the above tactic
Anabaptist:

a pickpocket caught in the act, and punished by being thrown into a pond
Anglers:

pilferers or petty thieves who with a stick having a hook at the end, steal goods out of shop windows, grates etc Also someone who `draws in' victims in order to rob them
Angling for coppers:

begging out of a prison window with a cap or box let down on the end of a long string
Arch Rogue:

The chief of a gang of thieves or gipsies
Ard:

hot, stolen
Ark: a boat
Ark ruffians:

rogues who in conjunction with watermen, robbed and sometimes murdered on the water by picking aquarrel with passengers in a boat, boarding it, plundering, stripping, and throwing them overboard
Artichoke:

hanged (see hearty choke)
Aunt:

a prostitute or someone who procures prostitutes
Avoir Du Pois Lay:

stealing brass weights off the counters of shops
Autem Bawler:

a priest
Autem Divers:

pickpockets who operate in churches and temples
Autem Mort:

a female beggar who hires children in order to inspire charity

-B-
Babes in the wood:

criminals in the stocks or pillory
Badge:

a term for one who has had his hand burned as punishment for theft
Bandog:

a bailiff or sheriff
Barrow man:

a man under sentence of transport
Bat:

a very common prostitute
Bawd: a prostitute
Bawdy basket:

criminal who sells items from door to door, but makes most of their living by stealing
Beak:

a justice of the peace or magistrate
Beef:

to "cry beef" is to give an alarm To "be in a mans beef" is to wound him with a sword
Beggar maker:

a man who owns a tavern
Beilby's Ball:

to "dance with Beilby's ball" is to be hung
Bene:

good
Bene Bowse:

good beer
Bene Cove:

good fellow
Bene Darkmans:

good night
Bene feaker:

counterfeiter
Bene feakers of gybes:

counterfeiter of false passes
Ben:

a fool
Bess or Betty:

a crow bar
Bilboes:

the stocks or prison
Bilk:

to cheat or con
Bing:

to go or escape
Bingo:

brandy or other spirit
Bingo boy:

a drinker of brandy
Bingo mort:

a female drinker of brandy
Birds of a feather:

rogues of the same gang
Bite:

to steal
Black art:

the art of picking a lot
Black box:

a lawyer
Blasted fellow:

an abandoned rogue or prostitute
Blater:

a stolen calf
Bleaters:

those cheated by a Jack in the Box (See Jack in the box)
Bleating rig:

sheep stealing
Blow:

to "bite the blow"is to steal the goods
Blue pigeons:

thieves who steal lead off houses and other buildings
Bluffer:

an inn keeper
Blunt:

money
Boarding school:

a prison
Bob:

shoplifter's assistant One who receives stolen goods
Boned:

seized, arrested
Boung:

a purse
Boung nipper:

a cut purse
Brimstone:

an abandoned woman or thief
Bubber:

a thief who steals from taverns
Bufe:

a dog
Bufe nabber:

a dog thief
Bug: to exchange a material for one of less value
Bung nipper:

a pickpocket
Burning the ken:

to flee a tavern without paying your bill
Bus napper:

a constable
Bus nappers kenchin:

a watchman
Buttock and file:

a prostitute who steals from their clients
Button: a fake coin
Buzman:

a pickpocket

-C-
Cackle:

to inform on a thief
Calle:

a cloak or gown worn as a disguise
Canters:

thieves or beggars
Canting Crew:

thieves or beggars
Cap

take an oath
Captain Sharp:

a person in a fixed game of chance whose job is to bully those who refuse to pay their debts
Caravan:

a large sum of money, or one who is cheated of a large sum of money
Cattle:

prostitutes or gipsies
Charactered:

to have your hand burnt as a punishment for theft
Charm:

a lockpick
Chatts:

the gallows
Clank:

a silver tankard
Clank napper:

a silver tankard stealer
Clear:

very drunk
Click:

to hit
Clicker:

the person who divides the booty between a group of thieves
Climb up a ladder to bed:

be hanged
Cloy:

steal
Cloyes:

thieves
Cly:

a pocket
Cly the jerk:

to be whipped
Cockles, to cry:

to be hanged
Colt:

one who lends a horse to a highway man, or an apprentice thief
Confect:

counterfeited
Content:

a person murdered for resisting a robbery
Cove:

a man
Cracksman:

a house breaker
Cramp word:

the sentence of death
Crash:

kill
Crop:

hang
Cull:

an honest man
Cullability:

easily cheated
Curbing law:

the act off hooking items out of a window (see angling)
Cursitors: a bad lawyer

-D-
Dangle:

hang
Darbies:

chains (handcuffs)
Darby:

easy money
Darkee:

a dark or hooded lantern
Darkmans:

night time
Dawb:

bribe
Deadly nevergreen:

gallows
Derrick:

a hangman
Dimber Damber:

a chief thief
Ding Boy:

a mugger
Dive:

to pick a pocket
Dive:

a thieves hideout
Dommerer:

a beggar who pretends to be mute
Drag:

to follow a cart or wagon in order to rob it
Draw-latches:

robbers of houses
Drawing the King's picture:

to counterfeit coins
Dromedary:

a bungling thief
Dub:

a lockpick
Dub Lay:

to rob a house by picking its lock
Dummee:

a pocket book or purse
Dumps:

coins made of lead
Die hard:

show no fear or remorse at the gallows

-E-
Earnest: a promise to pay
Equipt:

well dressed, rich

-F-
Fagger:

a small boy passed through a window in order to open the door to a house
Family man:

a receiver of stolen goods
Fam lay:

palming an item in order to steal it
Fams:

gloves
Fen:

a prostitute
Fence:

to sell stolen goods One who buys stolen goods
Fencing ken:

a place where stolen goods are hidden
Fidlam ben:

thieves
Figging law:

the art of picking pockets
Figure dancer:

one who alters the numbers on notes of credit or other paper money
Filcher: see angler
Flash ken:

a thieves hideout
Flash lingo:

thieves cant
Floating hell:

a prison ship
Flog:

to whip
Fob:

cheat
Footpad: a common thief
Fork:

to pick a pocket
Fortune teller:

a judge
Foyst: a pickpocket
Frummagemmed:

strangled or hanged
Fun:

a cheat or a trick
Fuzz:

to pretend to shuffle a deck of cards

-G-
Gallows bird:

a thief or pickpocket or someone that associates with them
Game:

any mode of robbery
Gamon:

to deceive
Gaoler's coach:

a cart used to take felons to execution
Gentleman's master:

a highwayman
Gibberish:

thieves cant
Gilt:

a thief who picks locks
Ginny:

a crowbar
Glazier:

a thief who breaks windows in order to steal
Glim: a lantern used in housebreaking
Grease:

bribe
Gregorian tree:

gallows
Gudgeon:

a gullible person
Gull:

a gullible person, to cheat someone

-H-
Hamlet:

a senior constable
Hang gallows look:

a villainous appearance
Hang in chains:

a vile, desperate person
Harman:

a constable
Harmans:

the stocks
Hearty choke: to be hanged
Heave:

to rob
Hempen fever:

a person who has been hanged is said to have died of "hempen fever"
Hempen widow:

one whose husband was hanged
High pad:

a highwayman
Hike:

to run away
Hoist:

to rob by entering through windows that have been left open
Hoodwink:

blindfold or fool someone
Hooked:

captured
Hookers:

see angler
Hubbub:

a riot
Hue:

to whip
Hush:

murder
Hush money:

a bribe

-I-
Iron:

money
Ironmongers shop:

to "keep an ironmongers shop" is to be hung in chains

-J-
Jack in a box:

a card sharper
Jack Ketch:

hangman
Jail bird:

prisoner
Jammed:

hanged
Jem:

a gold ring
Jemmy:

a crow bar
Jigger:

whipping post
Jordain:

a stick or staff used by muggers
Juggler's box:

the device used to burn the hands of criminals
Jukrum:

the permission of the head of a thieves guild to operate within his territory

-K-
Kate:

a lockpick
Ken:

a house
Ken Miller or Ken Cracker:

housebreaker
Ketch:

hangman
Kiddeys:

young thieves
King's plate:

chains, shackles
King's pictures:

money
Knight of the blade:

a bully
Knight of the post:

a man willing to give fake evidence for money
Knight of the road:

a highwayman

-L-
Laced mutton:

a prostitute
Lag:

a man transported for a crime
Land pirate:

a highwayman
Lay:

danger
Leaf:

to "go with the fall of the leaf" is to be hanged
Lift:

steal
Lightmans:

daytime
Little snakesman:

a small boy passed through a window in order to open a door
Long tongued:

unable to keep a secret
Lowre:

money
Lully priggers:

thieves who steal wet clothes off clothes lines
Lurch:

to be "left in the lurch" is to be betrayed by ones companions

-M-
Mad Tom:

a beggar who feigns madness
Made:

stolen
Made man:

a member of the thieves guild
Maunding:

begging
Milch cow:

one who is easily tricked out of his money
Moabites:

bailiffs
Mobility:

the commoners Intended as a pun on `nobility'
Moon curser:

a thief who uses the darkness as cover for his crime
Moon men:

gipsies
Morning drop:

the gallows
Mort:

a woman
Moss:

lead stolen off the top of buildings
Mot:

see Mort
Myrmidons:

constables

-N-
Nab:

to seize
Nab the stoop:

to be put in the stocks
Napper:

a cheat or thief
Napper of naps:

a sheep stealer
Natty lads:

young thieves or pickpockets
Neck weed:

hemp to be made into rope
Needle point: a card sharper
New drop:

the gallows
Newman's lift:

the gallows
Nig:

the metal clipped of a coin by a criminal
Night magistrate:

a constable
Nim:

to steal or pilfer
Nip:

a cheat
Noisy dog racket:

the crime of stealing brass door knockers from doors
Noozed:

hanged (or married)
Nose:

a criminal who gives evidence against his colleagues in order to gain a lighter sentence
Nubbing:

hanging
Nubbing cheat:

the gallows
Nubbing cove:

the hangman
Nubbing ken: the courthouse
Nypper:

a cutpurse

-O-
Oak: a rich man
Oaken towel:

a cudgel
Office:

to "give office" is to tell constables of a thieves activities
Old hand:

an experienced thief
Onion:

a seal or signet ring
Overseer:

a man in the pillory or stocks

-P-
Pad:

the highway
Pad borrowers:

horse thieves
Palaver:

a tale told in order avoid blame for a crime
Panny:

house
Parenthesis: the stocks
Parings:

the metal clipped of a coin by a criminal
Patter flash:

to use thieves cant
Paum:

conceal in the hand
Peach:

turn informer
Peeper:

a spying glass (Telescope?)
Penance board:

the pillory
Petty fogger:

a lawyer willing to undertake any case
Pig:

an officer of the law
Pigeon:

a person easy to cheat
Plate:

money, silver, gold etc
Poney:

money
Pop:

pawn
Pop shop:

pawnbrokers
Porridge:

prison
Posse mobilitatis:

a mob chasing a criminal
Poulterer:

a man who opens mail and steals the money enclosed within
Pound:

prison
Prad lay:

the act of cutting the saddlebags of horses in order to steal their contents
Prad:

a horse
Prig:

a thief
Prig napper:

one who catches thieves A bounty hunter
Priggers:

thieves
Priggers of prancers:

horse thieves
Priggers of cacklers:

robbers of henhouses
Prince Prig:

head of a group of thieves or gipsies
Provendor:

the victim of a thief
Public ledger:

a prostitute
Pull:

arrest
Puzzle-cause:

a lawyer who does not understand the case

-Q-
Quarromes:

a body
Queer: "To queer" means to confuse someone
Queer bail:

someone who pretends to have money in order to act as surety for an arrested person When the person is released they disappear
Queer birds:

a person who when released from prison returns to a life of crime
Queer bit makers:

counterfeiters of coins
Queer bung:

an empty purse
Queer cove:

a thief
Queer cuffin:

a justice of the peace
Queer ken:

a prison
Queer mort:

a diseased prostitute
Quod:

prison
Quota:

a thieves share of the booty

-R-
Rag:

paper money
Rank rider:

a highwayman
Rap:

taking a false oath
Rascal:

rogue or villain
Rat:

an informer To turn informer
Rattling cove:

a coachman
Rattling mumpers:

beggars who beg from coaches
Reader:

a pocket book or purse
Reader merchants:

pickpockets
Ready:

money
Recruiting service:

highway robbery
Repository:

a gaol
Resurrection men:

those employed by scientists to steal bodies from churchyards
Rhino:

money
Ribbin:

money
Ringing the changes:

exchanging silver coins for those made of less valuable metal
Roast:

arrest
Robert's men:

successful thieves
Rot gut:

cheap spiritous liquor
Rovers:

pirates, wandering thieves
Rub:

run away
Ruffles:

chains or shackles
Rufflers:

beggars who pretend to be wounded soldiers or sailors
Rug:

safe and secure
Rum: fine, good, valuable
Rum beck:

a justice of the peace
Rum bite:

a clever trick
Rum bob:

a skilled apprentice thief
Rum bung:

a full purse
Rum cod:

a purse filled with gold
Rum diver:

a skilled pickpocket
Rum dubber:

a skilled lock picker
Rum file:

a skilled pickpocket
Rum fun:

a clever trick
Rum pad:

the highway
Rum padders:

skilled and successful highwaymen
Rum prancer:

a good horse
Rushers:

home invaders

-S-
Salmon:

an oath taken by a beggar
Scapegallows:

one who deserves and has escaped the gallows
Scragged:

hanged
Scragg'em fair:

a public execution
Screw:

a lock pick or skeleton key
Sham:

a trick
Sharper: a con man
Sheriff's journeyman:

hangman
Sheriff's ball:

an execution
Sheriff's hotel:

prison
Sheriff's picture frame:

gallows
Shop: prison
Shoplifter:

one who steals from a shop
Sing:

call out, inform
Slang:

chains or shackles
Slang:

thieves cant
Slipgibbet:

see Scapegallows
Snap the glaze:

break a window
Snapt:

captured
Sneak:

a pilferer
Snoozing ken:

brothel
Sop:

a bribe
Spring-ankle

warehouse:

prison
Squeak:

escape "To squeak" means to confess
Squeakers:

organ pipes
Stalling ken:

place where stolen goods can be sold
Star the glaze:

break a jewellers window
Stoop:

the pillory
Stop hole abbey:

the central hideout or guild hall for a thieves guild
Stretching:

hanging
Stuling ken:

see Stalling ken
Swaddler:

a thief who beats and murders his victims
Swag:

booty
Sweating:

removing metal from a coin, by using chemicals
Swing:

hang

-T-
Tail:

a prostitute
Tayle drawers:

a thief who steals swords from a mans belt
Teize:

a flogging
Thatch-gallows:

a man of poor character
Thief takers:

someone who associates with thieves in order to arrest them and obtain rewards
Three-legged mare:

the gallows
Three legged stool:

the gallows
Tom of Bedlam:

see Mad Tom
Topping cheat:

the gallows
Topping cove:

hangman
Touch:

arrest
Trounce:

punish
Tucked up:

hanged
Turncoat:

one who has betrayed his friends
Turn off:

hang
Twig:

realise that something is up
Two to one shop:

pawnbrokers

-U-
Underdubber:

a prison guard
Upright Man:

chief thief of a guild
Used up:

killed

-V-
Vamp:

pawn
Varlets:

criminals
Vincent's law:

the art of cheating at cards
Vowel:

to write an IOU

-W-
Waterpad:

river pirate
Wedge:

silver plate
Whack:

a share of booty obtained by fraud
Whip jacks:

thieves who pretend to be sailors in order to gain free passage on boats and ships
Wiper:

handkerchief
Wiper drawer:

a pickpocket who steals handkerchiefs
Wooden ruff:

pillory
Wry neck day:

day of execution

-Y-
Yelp:

cry out for the police

-Z-
Zad:

a very crooked person

[Omote]

Cool. Where did you pick this up? I think some of these appear in Gary Gygax's THE CANTING CREW.

The Vulgar Tongue, isn't that the name of a tavern in Sanctuary (Thieves World)?

............................................Omote

FPQ
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> Omote's Advanced C&C stuff <
Duke Omote Landwehr, Holy Order of the FPQ ~ Prince of the Castles & Crusades Society

[ChaosImp]

Whew ! I had to go through each one and " bold" the thiefs cant. I found this posted on some site a while back ( can't remember , sorry). I found this useful when I play a thief and talk in Cant to the players. Anyways enjoy and confuse your CC.

IMP

[Jyrdan Fairblade]

Close; The Vulgar Unicorn.

And yes, I second the sentiment that that's a pretty darn cool list.

Omote wrote:
The Vulgar Tongue, isn't that the name of a tavern in Sanctuary (Thieves World)?

............................................Omote

FPQ

[Omote]

Damn. Yeah, that's it. I knew is was a vulgar, something or other.
...........................................Omote

FPQ
_________________
> Omote's Advanced C&C stuff <
Duke Omote Landwehr, Holy Order of the FPQ ~ Prince of the Castles & Crusades Society

[Philotomy Jurament]

Nice list. Thanks!

(To me, "the vulgar tongue" suggests "the common speech" or the "speech of the common people." Like the Latin translation of the Bible being called the "vulgate.")
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Lost City Campaign Log

[Gleemax Jr]

Credit where credit is due:
Original

[Julian Grimm]

Philotomy Jurament wrote:
Nice list. Thanks!

(To me, "the vulgar tongue" suggests "the common speech" or the "speech of the common people." Like the Latin translation of the Bible being called the "vulgate.")

Vulgar tongue sounds like something I'd watch in 10 second clips while the wife's away.
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