The term is now obsolete, though Scott used it as late as 1824, and from the Quarterly Review (1813), IX., p. 167, it seems to have then been in pretty general use. The modern prototype is called a tramp or cadger. To sham Abraham, i.e., to feign sickness or distress is, however, still in vogue. The French equivalent is Fagotin (m).--See also Abraham sham and Abram.
1573. Harman, Caveat (1814), p. 29. These Abraham men be those that fayn themselves to have bene mad, and have bene kept either in Bethlehem, or in some other pryson a good time, and not one amongst twenty that ever came in prison for any such cause.
1625. Massinger, New Way to Pay Old Debts, II., i. Are they padders or Abram-men that are your consorts?
1724. E. Coles, Eng. Diet. Abram cove, naked or poor man.
1825. Scott, St. Ronan's Well, ch. xxi. 'There is a trick for you to find an Abram-man, and save sixpence out when he begs of you as a disbanded seaman.'
Abraham Grains, subs. (thieves').--A publican who brews his own beer.
Abraham Newland, subs. (popular).--A bank note. Abraham Newland was chief cashier to the Bank of England, from 1778 to 1807.
1829. Sir W. Scott, letter to Croker in Croker Papers, vol. II., p. 36. A bank note seems to terrify everybody out of their wits, and they will rather give up their constitution to Hunt and Cobbett than part with an Abraham Newland to preserve it.
Abraham's Balsam, subs. (old).--Death by hanging.--See To die in one's boots.
Abraham Sham, subs. (old cant).--1.--Feigned sickness or distress. See Abraham-man. Usually spoken of as to sham Abraham, or Abram (q.v.). From this primary meaning, joined with an allusion to the name of a once well-known chief cashier of the Bank of England, was derived the secondary meaning of the term shamming Abraham, to forge bank-notes. Abraham Newland was in office in the years 1778-1807, and a popular song of the period ran as follows:
'I have heard people say that sham Abraham you may, But you mustn't sham Abraham Newland.'
Further point is added to this stanza by the fact that bank notes were themselves termed Abraham Newlands (q.v.), and that forgery was felony by statute.
1759. Goldsmith, Citizen of the World, cxix. "He swore that I understood my business perfectly well, but that I shammed Abraham merely to be idle."
1849. C. Bronté, Shirley, ch. xxxiii. Matthew, sceptic and scoffer, had already failed to subscribe a prompt belief in that pain about the heart; he had muttered some words, amongst which the phrase shamming Abraham had been very distinctly audible.
Abraham Suit, subs. phr. (thieves').--False pretences; fraudulent representations to excite sympathy. The term is applied to any trick or artifice calculated to extract money from the charitable, whether by means of begging letter, a faked-up appearance, or other contrivance. Those who resort to such practices are said to go on the Abraham suit. Cf., Abraham sham.
Abraham's Willing, subs. phr. (rhyming slang),[**p2 s/b .]--A shilling.
