subs. (thieves’).—A watch case. [From CLOAK, an outer garment.]
1839. W. H. AINSWORTH, Jack Sheppard [1889], p. 70. Near to these hopeful youths sat a fence, or receiver, bargaining with a clouter, or pickpocket, for a ‘suit,’ or, to speak in more intelligible language, a watch and seals, two ‘CLOAKS,’ commonly called watch-cases and a ‘wedge-lobb,’ otherwise known as a silver snuffbox.
