subs. (old).—A general name for any object. [From Anglo-Saxon ceat, a thing. Cf., quot., 1608.] A term which, with a descriptive adjective, appears in a variety of forms in old cant. The CHEAT par excellence was the gallows, also known as the NUBBING, TOPPING, or TREYNING-CHEAT. The word is variously spelt—CHET, CHETE, CHEATE, CHEIT, CHATE, CHEAT. The following combinations will serve to illustrate its use.

        BELLY-CHETE  = An Apron.
BLETING-CHETE  = A sheep or calf.
CACKLING-CHETE  = A fowl.
CRASHING-CHEATS  = The teeth.
GRUNTING-CHETE  = A pig.
HEARING-CHETES  = The ears.
LOW’ING-CHETE  = A cow.
LULLABY-CHETE  = An infant.
MOFLING-CHETE  = A napkin.
NUBBING-CHEAT  = The gallows.
PRATTLING-CHETE  = The tongue.
QUACKING-CHETE  = A duck.
SMELLING-CHETE  = The nose.
TOPPING-CHEAT  = The gallows.
TREYNING-CHEAT  = The gallows.
TRUNDLING-CHEAT  = A cart or coach.

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  All of which see.

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  1567.  HARMAN, A Caveat or Warening for Common Cursetors [ed. 1869], p. 86. Now we have well bous’d, let vs strike some CHETE [that is], now we have well dronke, let us steale some thinge.

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  1608.  DEKKER, The Belman of London, in wks. (GROSART) III., 117. The Cheating Law or the Art of winning money by false dyce. Those that practise this studie call themselues Cheators, the dyce Cheaters, and the money which they purchase Cheates: borrowing the tearme from our common Lawyers, with whome all casuals as fall to the Lord at the holding of his Leetes, as Waifes, Strayes, and such like, are said to be Escheated to the Lord’s vse, and are called Cheates.

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  1611.  SHAKESPEARE, Winter’s Tale, iv. 2. 28. With Dye and drab, I purchas’d this Caparison, and my Reuennew is the silly CHEATE. Gallowes, and Knocke, are too powerfull on the Highway.

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  1754.  FIELDING, Jonathan Wild, bk. IV., ch. ii. See what your laziness is come to; to the CHEAT, for thither will you go now, that’s infallible.

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