subs. (thieves’).—1. The feet. [A punning comparison of the feet and ten toes to the ten-footed, short-tailed crustaceans popularly known as ‘crabs.’] For synonyms, see CREEPERS. In D. Haggart (see Life, Glossary, 1821) CRABS = shoes.
2. (old).—Lice. For synonyms, see CHATES, sense 2.
3. (gaming).—A pair of aces, or deuce-ace—the lowest throw at hazard.
1768. LORD CARLISLE, in Jesse’s Selwyn, II., 238 (1882). I hope you have left off hazard. If you are still so foolish, and will play, the best thing I can wish you is, that you may win and never throw CRABS.
1837. R. H. BARHAM, The Ingoldsby Legends (Hard Times), p. 4, ed. 1851.
| Well—we know in these cases | |
| Your ‘CRABS’ and ‘Deuce Aces’ | |
| Are wont to promote frequent changes of places. |
1874. G. A. LAWRENCE, Hagarene, ch. iii. ‘My annuity drops with me; and if this throw comes off CRABS, there won’t be enough to bury me, unless I die a defaulter.’
TO TURN OUT CRABS or A CASE OF CRABS, verbal phr. (common).—A matter TURNS OUT CRABS when it is brought to a disagreeable conclusion. [Cf., CRAB, verb, in the sense of to interrupt; to get in the way of; to spoil.]
