Heading
Figure (or Number) Six, subs. phr. (thieves').—A lock of hair brought down from the forehead, greased, twisted spirally, and plastered on the face. For synonyms, see Aggerawator.
1851. H. Mayhew, Lon. Lab. and Lon. Poor, v. I., p. 36. As for the hair, they [coster-lads] say it ought to be long in front, and done in figure-six curls or twisted back to the ear, 'Newgate-knocker style.'
Filbert. Cracked in the filbert,
adv. phr. (common).—Crazy;
a variant of wrong in the
nut (q.v.) or upper storey.
For synonyms, see Apartments
to let and Tile loose.
Filch, verb (Old Cant: now
recognised).—1. To steal: specifically
to pilfer in small ways
[Dekker: from the 'filches' or
hooks used by thieves in stealing
out of open windows;
Skeat: for filk from O.E. fele,
Icel. fela, to steal, like talk and
tell, stalk (verb) and steal where k
is a formative element.—See Phil.
Soc. Trans., 1865, p. 188.] For
synonyms, see Prig. Filch,
properly filchman (q.v.), = a
hooked staff; on the filch or
filching = stealing.
1567. Harman, Caveat (1814), p. 66. To fylche, to robbe.
1580. Tusser, Husbandrie, ch. 63, st. 13, p. 143 (E. D. S.). The champion robbeth by night, And prowleth and filcheth by day.
1611. Middleton, Roaring Girl, Act iv., Sc. 1. What she leaves Thou shalt come closely in and filch away.
1729. Swift, Intelligencer, No. 4, p. 35 (2nd ed.). The servants having all that time to themselves to intrigue, to junket, to filch and steal.
1830. Marryat, King's Own, ch. x. I could filch a handkerchief as soon as I was high enough to reach a pocket, and was declared to be a most promising child.
1877. Five Years' Penal Servitude, ch. iii., p. 246. She were an out-and-outer in going into shops on the filch.
2. (old).—To beat. For synonyms, see Baste and Tan.
1610. Rowlands, Martin Mark-all, p. 38 (H. Club's Repr., 1874), s.v.
Suds. (old).—A thief. [From the verb.] Also Filcher (q.v.). For synonyms, see Area-sneak.
1810. Poole, Hamlet Travestie, II., iii. A very filch, that more deserves to hang, Than any one of the light-finger'd gang.
Filcher or Filch (q.v.). subs.
(Old Cant: now recognised).
A thief. [From filch (q.v.) =
to steal + er.] For synonyms,
see Area-sneak and Thieves.
1580. Tusser, Husbandrie, ch. 10, st. 54, p. 25 (E.D.S.). Purloiners and filchers, that loveth to lurke.
1596. Jonson, Every man in his Humour, IV., ix. How now, Signior Gull! are you turned filcher of late? Come, deliver my cloak.
1636. Davenant, The Wits, Act. V., The old blade Skulks there like a tame filcher, as he had New stolen 'bove eggs from market-women, Robb'd an orchard, or a cheese-loft.
1887. J. W. Ebsworth, Cavalier Lyrics (In Alsatia, etc.). Filchers, who grabble at other folks' chink.
Filchman or Filch, subs. (old).—A
thief's hooked staff used as
described in quot., 1632.
1567. Frat. of Vacabondes, p. 3. The trunchion of a staffe, which staffe they cal a filtchman.
1589. Nashe, Countercuffe to Martin Junior, in wks., vol. I., p. 80. Pasquill met him . . . with a Hatte like a sawcer vppon hys crowne, a Filch-man in his hande.
1610. Rowlands, Martin Mark-all, p. 38 (H. Club's Repr., 1874), s.v.
1632-48. Dekker, English Villanies He carries a short staff in his hand, which is called a filch, having in the nab or head
