W
WAITS. Strolling musicians; organ-players, etc.
WALL-FLOWERS. Second-hand clothing exposed for sale.
WAME. The stomach.
WARE HAWK. Lookout; beware.
WARM. Rich; plenty of money; dangerous.
WASTE. A tavern.
WATERED. Longed for. "The cove's chops watered for it," the fellow longed for it.
WATTLES. The cars.
WEDGE. Silver-ware.
WEDGE-BOX. A silver snuff-box.
WEEDING. Taking a part and leaving the balance in such a manner as not to excite suspicion. When a thief abstracts a portion from the plunder without the knowledge of his pals, and then receives an equal proportion of the remainder, it is called "Weeding the swag."
WELCH COMB. The thumb and finger.
WELL. Not to divide fair; to conceal a part.
WESAND. The throat.
WET-SNOW. Wet linen.
WETTING. Drinking.
WHACK. Share of the plunder.
WHEEDLE. To decoy a person by fawning or insinuation.
WHET. To drink.
WHIDDLE. To tell or discover. "He whiddles," he peaches. "He whiddles the whole scrap," he tells all he knows. "The cull whiddled because they would not tip him his regulars," the fellow informed because they would not share with him. "The joskin whiddles beef, and we must pad the hoof," the countryman cries "thief," and we must be off.
WHIDDLER. An informer; one who tells the secrets of another.
WHIDS. Words. "Tip me your wattles, my pal, and touch my whids, or I'll make you whindle like a kinchin," give me your ears and take my words, or I'll make you snivel like a child.
WHIFFLER. A fellow that yelps or cries out with pain.
WHINDLE. A low cry; a painful suppressed cry.
WHIP-JACKS. Men who pretend to be shipwrecked sailors.
WHIPE. A blow.
WHIPER. A kerchief.
WHIPPED. Cheated out of a share, or equal part of the plunder.
WHIPSTER. A sharper; a cunning fellow.
WHISKER. An enormous lie.
WHISTLER. The throat.
WHIT. A prison. "Five gonnoffs were rubbed in the darkmans out of the whit and piked like bulls into grassville," five thieves broke out of prison in the night, and ran like locomotives into the country.
WHITE TAPE. Gin.
WHITE VELVET. Gin.
WHITE WOOL. Silver.
WIBBLE. Bad drink.
WIFE. A fetter fixed to one leg.
WIFFLER. A relaxation.
WILD. A village.
WILLOW. Poor.
WIN. A cent.
WIN. To steal; to cheat. "The sneak tracked the dancers and win a twittock of witcher glimsticks," the thief went up-stairs and stole a pair of candlesticks.
WIND. Money. "Raise the wind," get money.
WINDER. To sentence for life. "The cove has napped a winder for settling a tony," the fellow has been sentenced for life for killing a fool.
WINGS. Oars.
WINNINGS. Plunder; money or goods.
WIRE. A pickpocket; the fellow who picks the pocket.
WIREHOOK. A pickpocket.
WISH. Be off; away with you.
WITCHER. Silver.
WITCHER BUBBER. A silver bowl.
WOBALL. A milkman.
WOBBLE. To boil; to reel; to stagger.
WOOD. In a quandary.
WOODBIRD. A sheep.
WOODEN COAT. A coffin.
WOODEN HABEAS. A man who dies in prison is said to go out on a wooden habeas; that is, in his coffin.
WORD-PECKER. A wit; a punster.
WORM. To obtain knowledge by craft and cunning.