verbal subs. (old).—Cheating; trickery; swindling after the manner of CONY-CATCHERS (q.v.). Shakespeare, says Nares, has once used it to express harmless roguery, playing jocular tricks, and no more [see quot., 1593]. For synonyms, see SELL.
1592. GREENE, The Groundworke of Conny-catching, p. 2. … this booke, wherein thou shalt find the ground-worke of CONNY-CATCHING.
1593. SHAKESPEARE, Taming of the Shrew, iv. 1. Come, you are so full of CONYCATCHING.
1608. MIDDLETON, A Trick to Catch the Old One, III., iv. Thou hast more CONY-CATCHING devices than all London.
1703. WARD, The London Spy, pt. XI., p. 260. And being almost Drunk, their Brains ran on CONEY-CATCHING.
1884. Daily News, Jan. 5, p. 5, col. 2. CONEY-CATCHING, or its modern equivalent, the confidence trick.
Ppl. adj. (old).—Mutatis mutandis, the same as the substantive (q.v.).
1596. SHAKESPEARE, Merry Wives of Windsor, i. 1. Marry, sir, I have matter in my head against you; and against your CONEY-CATCHING rascals, Bardolph Nym, and Pistol.
1598. JONSON, Every Man in his Humour, iii. 1. Whoreson, CONEY-CATCHING rascal! I could eat the very hilts for anger.
