or hoist-lay, subs. (thieves’).—1. Shop-lifting. THE HOIST (q.v.). Also shaking a man head downwards, so that his money rolls out of his pockets.
1811. GROSE and CLARKE, Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.
1821. D. HAGGART, Life, glossary, p. 171. HOYS, shop-lifting.
1868. Temple Bar, xxiv., 534. She can secrete articles about her dress when in a shop looking at things, and that’s one way of HOISTING.
2. (old).—See quot.
1785. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v. HOISTING. A ludicrous ceremony formerly performed on every soldier, the first time he appeared in the field after being married; it was thus managed: As soon as the regiment, or company, had grounded their arms to rest a while, three or four men of the same company to which the bridegroom belonged, seized upon him, and putting a couple of bayonets out of the two corners of his hat, to represent horns, it was placed on his head, the back part foremost. He was then hoisted on the shoulders of two strong fellows, and carried round the arms, a drum and fife beating and playing the pioneers call, named Round Heads and Cuckolds, but on this occasion styled the Cuckold’s March; in passing the colours, he was to take off his hat: this, in some regiments, was practised by the officers on their brethren.
