This site is in danger of going away; please consider the Donate link above...

Sharper (Grose 1811 Dictionary)

Sharper

A cheat, one that lives by his wits. Sharpers tools; a fool and false dice.

Definition taken from The 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, originally by Francis Grose.

See also the definition in Nathan Bailey's 1736 dictionary of canting and thieving slang.

Sharp * Shaver

Nearby

Nathan Bailey's 1736 Dictionary of canting and thieving slang

John S. Farmer's collection of canting songs and slang rhymes

Buy a modern reprint of this book from Amazon CA; US;

About

Francis Grose was independently wealthy, having inherited money from his father, a jeweller. Finding himself overspending, he published a number of books; his Provincial Glossary seems to have been the starting-point for the Vulgar Tongue reproduced here.

Sham
To Shamble
Shanker
Shanks
Shanks Naggy
Shannon
Shapes
Shappo
Shark
Sharp
Sharper
Shaver
Shavings
She House
She Lion
She Napper
Sheep’s Head
Sheepish
Sheepskin Fiddler
Shelf
Sheriff’s Journeyman