stolen goods. [Haggart's spelling, being that of the respectable Edinburgh lawyer who took down his 'confessions' is generally misleading and inaccurate.]
1828. Smeeton, Doings in London, p. 39. It is a game in very great vogue among the macers, who congregate nightly at the FLASH-HOUSES.
1830. Lytton, Paul Clifford, p. 50 (ed. 1854). There is one Peggy Lobkins who keeps a public house, a sort of FLASH-KEN called 'The Mug' in Thames Court.
1839. Ainsworth, Jack Sheppard (ed. 1840), p. 271. I've been to all the FLASH-CASES in town, and can hear nothing of him or his wives. . . . Ibid, p. 135. 'The Black Lion!' echoed Terence, 'I know the house well; by the same token that it's a FLASH-CRIB.'
2. (common).—A brothel; a haunt of loose women.
1811. Lexicon Balatronicum (Flash song quoted under FLASH-PANNEYS). Next for his favourite mot the kiddey looks about, And if she's in a FLASH-PANNY he swears he'll have her out; So he fences all his togs to buy her duds, and then He frisks his master's lob to take her from the bawdy ken.
1830. Lytton, Paul Clifford, ch. xvi. (ed. 1840). You know how little I frequent FLASH-HOUSES.
1837. Barham, Ingoldsby Legends (ed. 1862), p. 380. Those troublesome swells, Who come from the play-houses, FLASH-KENS, and hells.
1840. Macaulay, Essays: 'Lord Clive.' The lowest wretches that the company's crimps could pick up in the FLASH-HOUSES of London.
1852. Bristed, Upper Ten Thousand, p. 34. That is Mary Black who keeps the greatest FLASH HOUSE in Leonard Street.
Flash-Cove (also Flash-Companion), subs. (common).—A thief; a sharper; a FENCE (q.v.).
1825. E. Kent, Modern Flask Dict. Flash-cove, the keeper of a place for the reception of stolen goods.
1839. H. Ainsworth, Jack Sheppard (1889), p. 60.—'Awake! To be sure I am, my FLASH-COVE!' replied Sheppard.
Flash-Man, subs. (old).—Primarily a man talking FLASH (see quots., 1823 and 1862); hence, a rogue, a thief, the landlord of a FLASH-CASE (q.v.). Also a FANCY-JOSEPH (for synonyms, see Fancy-man). In America, a person with no visible means of support, but living in style and 'showing up' well.
1789. Geo. Parker, Life's Painter, p. 141. A FLASHMAN is one who lives on the hackneyed prostitution of an unfortunate woman of the town.
1823. Moncrieff, Tom and Jerry, II., 1. Soon one is floored upon the ground. While loud her FLASHMAN cries, 'Arise, my ladybird, arise!'
1823. Jon Bee, Dict. of the Turf, etc., p. 80. Derived from his language, and this again has its appellation ('tis suggested) from the first FLASH-MEN being highwaymen, that then generally abounded (circa 1770). He is the favorite, or protector of a prostitute, whose FLASH-MAN he is; and she is called inversely, his FLASH-WOMAN.
c. 1833. Broadside Ballad. My FLASH-MAN has gone to sea.
1849. New South Wales, Past, Present, and Future, ch. i., p. 14. This man was known to Mr. Day to be what is termed a FLASH-MAN; and, seeing his own imminent danger, he instantly spoke to him and called him a cowardly rascal, and offered to give him shot for shot, while he was re-loading.
1859. H. Kingsley, Geoffrey Hamlyn, ch. v. You're playing a dangerous game, my FLASHMAN.
1862. Smiles, Lives of the Engineers, vol. I., pt. 5, ch. i., p. 307. Those articles were sold throughout the country by pedestrian hawkers, most of whom lived in the wild country called THE FLASH, from a hamlet of that name situated between Buxton, Leek, and Macclesfield. . . . Travelling about from fair to fair, and using a cant or slang dialect, they became generally known as FLASH-MEN, and the name still survives (to which may be added: They paid, at first, ready money, but when they had established a credit, paid in promissory notes which were rarely honored.
