thimblerigger
See also: thimble-rigger
English
Alternative forms
Etymology
thimblerig + -er or thimble + rigger
Noun
thimblerigger (plural thimbleriggers)
- Someone who cheats by thimblerigging, or similar tricks involving sleight of hand.
- 1899, Stephen Crane, chapter 1, in Twelve O'Clock:
- “ […] Them rich fellers, they don't make no bad breaks with their money. They watch it all th' time b'cause they know blame well there ain't hardly room fer their feet fer th' pikers an' tin-horns an' thimble-riggers what are layin' fer 'em. […] ”
- 1980, Bernard MacLaverty, chapter 6, in Lamb, paperback edition, King Penguin, published 1981, page 50:
- "Mrs Kane has been filling us in on some background information on Owen." The woman nodded, drumming her nicotined fingers. "And I have been assuring her that the boys who arrive here thimbleriggers and termagants are the least of our worries. But we do not send them out that way. Do we, Brother?"
Translations
References
- “thimblerigger”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
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