1821. Haggart, Life, p. 38. We were principally engaged upon the hoys and coreing.
Verb (thieves').—1. To practise shop-lifting; to rob by means of the hoist (q.v.).
2. (American).—To run away; to decamp. For synonyms, see Amputate and Skedaddle.
1847. Porter, Quarter Race, etc., p. 174. Jist hist, and take yourself off.
3. (common).—To drink. E.g., Will you hoist? = will you have a liquor?; Hoisting = drinking; On the hoist = on the drunk. Also a hoist in.
To give a hoist, verb. phr. (tailors').—To do a bad turn.
To have (or do) a hoist in. verb. phr. (venery).—To copulate. For synonyms, see Greens and Ride.
Hoister, subs. (old).—1. A shoplifter;
a hoist (q.v., sense 1).
Also a pickpocket.
1847-50. J. H. Jesse, London, i., 30. He that could take out a counter without any noise was allowed to be a public hoyster. N.B.—That a hoyster is a pickpocket.
2. (common).—A sot. For synonyms, see Lushington.
Hoisting (or Hoist-lay), subs.
(thieves').—1. Shop-lifting. The
hoist (q.v.). Also shaking a
man head downwards, so that his
money rolls out of his pockets.
1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.
1821. D. Haggart, Life, glossary, p. 172. Hoys, shop-lifting.
1868. Temple Bar, xxiv., 534. She can secrete articles about her dress when in a shop looking at things, and that's one way of hoisting.
2. (old).—See quot.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Hoisting, a ludicrous ceremony, formerly performed on every soldier, the first time he appeared in the field, after being married: as soon as the regiment, or company, had grounded their arms, to rest awhile; three or four men of the same company, to which the bridegroom belonged, seized upon him, and putting a couple of bayonets out of the two corners of his hat, to represent horns, it was placed on his head, the back part foremost, he was then hoisted on the shoulders of two strong fellows, and carried round the arms, a drum and fife beating and playing, the pioneers call, named Round-heads and Cuckolds, but on this occasion stiled the Cuckold's March; in passing the colours, he was to take off his hat. . . . This in some regiments was practised by the officers on their brethren.
HOIT (or HOYT), verb, (old).—To
be noisily or riotously inclined.
1611. Beaumont and Fletcher, Knight of the Burning Pestle, iv., 1. He sings, and hoyts, and revels among his drunken companions.
Hoity-toity. See Highty-tighty.
Hokey-pokey, subs. (common).—A
cheat; a swindle; nonsense.
[From Hocus Pocus.]
2. (common).—A cheap ice-cream sold in the streets.
Holborn Hill. To ride backwards
up Holborn Hill, verb.
phr. (old colloquial).—To go to the
gallows. [The way was thence
to Tyburn, criminals riding backwards.—Grose.]
1614. Jonson, Bartholomew Fair, ii., 1. Urs. Up the heavy hill—Kuock. Of Holbourn, Ursula, mean'st thou so? for what, for what, pretty Urse? Urs. For cutting halfpenny purses, or stealing little penny dogs out o' the Fair.
1659. Harry White's Humour (Nares). Item, he loves to ride when he is weary, yet at certaine times he holds it ominous to ride up Holborne.
1695. Congreve. Love for Love, ii., 7. Sirrah, you'll be hanged; I shall live to see you go up Holborn hill.
