1639-61. Rump Songs. 'Bum-fodder.' That's a thing would please the Butchers and Cooks, To see this stinking Rump quite off the hooks.
1665. Pepys, Diary, 26 May. In the evening by water to the Duke of Albemarle, whom I found mightily off the hooks, that the ships are not gone out of the River; which vexed me to see.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Hooks. Off the hooks, in an ill Mood, or out of Humour.
d. 1704. L'Estrange [quoted in Ency. Dict.]. Easily put off the hooks, and monstrous hard to be pleased again.
1719. Durfey, Pills, etc., iii., 22. Another that's in the Blacksmith's Books, And only to him for remedy looks, Is when a Man is quite off the hooks.
1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.
1825. Scott, St. Ronan's Well, ch. xxx. Everybody that has meddled in this St. Ronan's business is a little off the hooks— . . . in plain words, a little crazy.
Hook and Snivey (or Hookum
Snivey), subs. phr. (old).—1.
An imposture; specifically, the
getting of food on false pretences.
1781. G. Parker, View of Society, ii., 79. 'Hook and Snivey, with Nix the Buffer' [Title].
1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v. Hook and Snivey with Nix the Buffer. This rig consists in feeding a man and a dog for nothing. . . . Three men, one of whom pretends to be sick and unable to eat, go to a public house; the two well men make a bargain with the landlord for their dinner, and when he is out of sight feed their pretended sick companion and dog gratis.
1823. Bee, Dict. Turf. s.v. Hook and Snivvy—practised by soldiers in quarters when they obtain grub for nix.
1835 in Comic Almanack 1835-43 (Hotten), p. 17, Zoological Society at HOOKEM SNIVEY. A new animal has been transmitted from No-Man's Land, which has been named the Flat-Catcher.
2. (old).—An impostor as described in sense 1.
3. (streets).—A contemptuous or sarcastic affirmation, accompanied by the gesture of taking A SIGHT (q.v.) or PLAYING HOOKEY (q.v.).
4. (thieves').—A crook of thick iron wire in a wooden handle, used to undo the wooden bolts of doors from without.
1801. Edgeworth, Irish Bulls, With that I ranges 'em fair and even on my hook 'em snivey, up they goes.
Hooked, adj. (old).—See quot.
1690. B E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Hookt, over-reached, Snapt, Trickt.
1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
Hooker, subs. (Old Cant).—1. A
thief; an angler (q.v.). Also,
(modern) a watch-stealer; a dip
(q.v.). Cf., quots. 1567 and
1888.
1567. Harman, Caveat, p. 35. These hokers, or Angglers, be peryllous and most wicked knaues, . . . they customably carry with them a staffe of v. or vi. foote long, in which, within one ynch of the tope thereof, ys a lytle hole bored through, [leaf 9] in which hole they putte an yron hoke, and with the same they wyll pluck vnto them quickly any thing that they may reche ther with.
1610. Rowlands, Martin Mark-all, p. 8 (H. Club's Rept., 1874). They are sure to be clyd in the night by the angler, or hooker, or such like pilferers that liue upon the spoyle of other poore people.
d. 1626. John Davies, Scourge of Folly, p. 34. [Wks., Ed. Grosart]. A false knaue needs no brokers, but a broker Needs a false knaue (a hangman or a hooker).
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Hookers, the third Rank of Canters; also Sharpers.
1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.
1834. H. Ainsworth, Rookwood, bk. III., ch. v. No strange Abram, ruffler crack, hooker of another pack.
1888. Tit Bits, 17 Nov., p. 82, col. 2. There are usually three men in a gang; the hooker having got into conversation with his man, number two 'covers' his movements, whilst number three (on the opposite side of the
