subs. (old cant).—1. A child: see KINCHIN.
1567. HARMAN, A Caveat or Warening for Common Cursetors, p. 76. [See quot. under KINCHIN.]
1608. DEKKER, The Belman of London, in Wks. (GROSART), III. 105. The last Ranke of those Runnagates is fild vp with KINCHYN COES; and they are little boyes whose parents (hauing beene beggers) are dead, or else such as haue run away from their maisters, and in stead of a trade to liue by, follow this kinde of life to be lowsie by.
c. 1696. B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v. KINCHIN-COES, the Sixteenth Rank of the Canting Tribe, being little Children whose Parents are dead, having been Beggers; as also young Ladds running from their Masters, who are first taught Canting, then thieving.
1725. A New Canting Dictionary, s.v.
1785. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v. KINCHIN. KINCHIN COES, orphan beggar boys, educated in thieving.
1830. BULWER-LYTTON, Paul Clifford, p. 25 [ed. 1854]. Look you my KINCHIN COVE.
1870. All the Year Round, ‘Byegone Cant,’ 5 March. Suppose a KINCHIN-COVE (a little man) … should hear the twittle-twattle of cobble-colter (a turkey), or the sagacious cackle of tib of the buttery (a goose); and supposing the said KINCHIN-COVE should think a dinner off these big birds would be delicious, and should steal them for that purpose or any other. Again, short work would have been made of it, and KINCHIN-COVE would simply have been hanged.
2. (old cant).—A little man.
1671. R. HEAD, The English Rogue, 1. v. 50. (1874). KINCHIN COVE, A little man.
c. 1696. B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v.
1725. A New Canting Dictionary, s.v.
1785. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v.
3. (old cant).—A man who robs or kidnaps children: cf. KINCHIN LAY.
