COVER, to stand in such a situation as to obscure your Pall, who is committing a robbery, from the view of by-standers or persons passing, is called covering him. Any body whose dress or stature renders him particularly eligible for this purpose, is said to be a good cover.
COVESS, the mistress of a house or shop, and used on other occasions, in the same manner as Cove, when applied to a man.
CRAB, to prevent the perfection or execution of any intended matter or business, by saying any thing offensive or unpleasant, is called crabbing it, or throwing a crab; to crab a person, is to use such offensive language or behaviour as will highly displease, or put him in an ill humour.
CRAB’D, affronted; out of humour; sometimes called, being in Crab-street.
CRABSHELLS, shoes.
CRACK, to break open; the crack is the game of house-breaking; a crack is a breaking any house or building for the purpose of plunder.
CRACKSMAN, a house-breaker.
CRACK A WHID, to speak or utter: as, he crack’d some queer whids, he dropt some bad or ugly expressions: crack a whid for me, intercede, or put in a word for me.
CRACKER, a small loaf, served to prisoners in jails, for their daily subsistence.