HOCUS, to drug a person, and then rob him. The HOCUS generally consists of snuff and beer.
HOCUS POCUS, Gipsey words of magic, similar to the modern “presto fly.” The Gipseys pronounce “Habeas Corpus,” HAWCUS PACCUS (see Crabb’s Gipsey’s Advocate, p. 18); can this have anything to do with the origin of HOCUS POCUS? Turner gives OCHUS BOCHUS, an old demon. Pegge, however, states that it is a burlesque rendering of the words of the unreformed church service at the delivery of the host, HOC EST CORPUS, which the early Protestants considered as a species of conjuring, and ridiculed accordingly.
HODGE, a countryman or provincial clown. I don’t know that it has been elsewhere remarked, but most country districts in England have one or more families of the name of HODGE; indeed, GILES and HODGE appear to be the favourite hobnail nomenclature. Not in any way writing disrespectfully, was the slang word taken from Hog—with the g soft, which gives the dg pronunciation? In old canting dictionaries HODGE stands for a country clown; so, indeed, does ROGER, another favourite provincial name.—Vide Bacchus and Venus.
HOG, “to go the whole HOG,” to do anything with a person’s entire strength, not “by halves;” realised by the phrase “in for a penny in for a pound.” Bartlett claims this to be a pure American phrase; whilst Ker, of course, gives it a Dutch origin.—Old.
HOG, a shilling.—Old cant.
HOISTING, shoplifting.
HOLLOW, “to beat HOLLOW,” to excel.
HOLY LAND, Seven Dials,—where the St. Giles’ Greek is spoken.
HOOK, to steal or rob.—See the following.
HOOK OR BY CROOK, by fair means or foul—in allusion to the hook which footpads used to carry to steal from open windows, &c., and from which HOOK, to take or steal, has been derived. Mentioned in Hudibras as a cant term.