a. Having light and nimble fingers. a. gen. b. Having fingers quick and dexterous at pilfering; thievish, dishonest. † c. Prompt in giving or returning a blow; pugnacious. Obs.
a. 1804. Edin. Rev., V. 152. The … solemn gravity of the premier affords a fine contrast to the light-fingered agility of his brother.
1890. Century Dict., Light-fingered, light in touch with the fingers, as in playing the piano.
b. 1547. Boorde, Introd. Knowl., xxxviii. (1870), 217. They be lyght fyngerd and vse pyking.
1579–80. North, Plutarch, Aristides (1595), 351. Themistocles … was a wise man … but yet somewhat light fingered.
1624. Gataker, Transubst., 148. Some light-fingered person having pickt his purse.
1699. Dampier, Voy., II. I. 14. Our men contented themselves with looking after their goods (the Tonquinese being very light-finger’d).
1758. Johnson, Idler, No. 26, ¶ 11. Sharp girls were apt to be light-fingered.
1823. Scott, Lett., 18 June, in Lockhart. The light-fingered gentry melt plate so soon as it comes into their possession.
1860. Thackeray, Round. Papers, Round Christm. tree, 105. The light-fingered gentry pick pockets furiously in the darkness.
c. 1581. Lambarde, Eiren., II. vii. (1588), 220. Youth … whether brawling, quarrelous, lightfingred or bloudie-handed.
1589. R. Harvey, Pl. Perc. (1860), 3. Light-fingred Younkers, which make euery word a blow.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 370. Angry men are light-fingered and apt to strike.
Hence Lightfingeredness.
1881. Nation (N. Y.), XXXIII. 358/1. The general persuasion of their [sc. Gipsies’] propensity to light-fingeredness.
