Thieves’ Cant. ? Obs. [Origin uncertain: see quot. 1610.] pl. Gallows.
1567. Harman, Caveat (1869), 84. Chattes, the gallowes. Ibid., 86. Tryning on the chates [gallowes].
1610. Rowlands, Martin Mark-all, E 2. Chates, the Gallowes; here he mistakes … for Chates it should be Cheates which word is vsed generally for things…: if you will make a word for the Gallous, you must put thereto the word Treyning, which signifies hanging; and so Treyning Cheate is as much to say, hanging things, or the Gallous and not Chates.
1673. R. Head, Cant. Acad., 36. Chats, the Gallowes.
c. 1690. in B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew.
1725. in New Cant. Dict.
