THE. The dash. The mode. He is quite the go, he is quite varment, he is prime, he is bang up, are synonimous expressions.
Definition taken from The 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, originally by Francis Grose.
Gnarler * GlybeNathan Bailey's 1736 Dictionary of canting and thieving slang
John S. Farmer's collection of canting songs and slang rhymes