1714. Memoirs of John Hall (4 ed.), p. 12. CLY: a pocket.
1742. CHARLES JOHNSON, Highwaymen and Pirates, p. 252. Filing a CLY which is picking pockets of watches, money, books or handkerchiefs.
1748. T. DYCHE, A New General English Dictionary (5 ed.). CLY (s.): the cant term for … purse or pocket.
1818. MAGINN, from VIDOCQ. The Pickpocket’s Chaunt.
| A regular swell-cove lushy lay … | |
| To his CLIES my hooks I throw in … | |
| Tol, lol, &c. |
1834. W. H. AINSWORTH, Rookwood. No knuckler so deftly could fake a CLY.
1858. A. MAYHEW, Paved with Gold, bk. II., ch. i., p. 69. They’re just made for hooking a fogle [handkerchief] out of a CLYE.
1878. CHARLES HINDLEY, The Life and Times of James Catnach. ‘The Song of The Young Prig.’
| Frisk the CLY, and fork the rag, | |
| Draw the fogles plummy. |
2. (thieves’).—Money.
1748. T. DYCHE, A New General English Dictionary (5 ed.). CLY (s.): the cant name for money, a purse, or a pocket.
1785. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. CLY, money.
1811. GROSE and CLARKE, Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.
Verb (old).—1. To take; have; receive; pocket: in fact, ‘to COP.’
1567. HARMAN, A Caveat or Warening for Common Cursetors (1814), p. 66. The ruffian CLY thee, the deuil take thee.
1609. DEKKER, a Gypsy song, in Lanthorne and Candlelight, etc.
| The Ruffin CLY the nab of the Harmanbeck, | |
| If we mawnd Pannam, lap or Ruff-peck. |
