lightmans
English edit
Etymology edit
Noun edit
lightmans (uncountable)
- (obsolete, UK, thieves' cant) The day.
- 1612, Thomas Dekker, Lanthorne and Candle-light[1]:
- And then to the Trin'de on the chutes, in the lightmans / The Bube & Ruffian cly the Harman beck & harmans.
- 1828, Edward Bulwer Lytton Baron Lytton, Pelham, Or, Adventures of a Gentleman:
- Why, you would not be boosing till lightman's in a square crib like mine, as if you were in a flash panny?
- 2012, Kate Ross, A Broken Vessel:
- Mr. Kestrel's out to dinner with some of his pals, and he 'most never comes home till lightmans.
Antonyms edit
Derived terms edit
References edit
- [Francis Grose] (1788) “Lightmans”, in A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, 2nd edition, London: […] S. Hooper, […], →OCLC.
- Albert Barrère and Charles G[odfrey] Leland, compilers and editors (1889–1890) “lightmans”, in A Dictionary of Slang, Jargon & Cant […], volumes II (L–Z), Edinburgh: […] The Ballantyne Press, →OCLC, page 17.
- John S[tephen] Farmer; W[illiam] E[rnest] Henley, compilers (1896) “lightmans”, in Slang and Its Analogues Past and Present. […], volume IV, [London: […] Harrison and Sons] […], →OCLC, pages 195–196.