a. and sb. Cant. Also snyde. [Of obscure origin.]
A. adj. Counterfeit, sham, bogus.
1862. Cornh. Mag., Nov., 652. [To] get ready for the trial, and look up the ‘snyde witnesses.’
1868. Temple Bar, XXIV. 538. Snyde … means counterfeit or bad.
1893. Advance (Chicago), 5 Oct. When stripped of their gay apparel … the most of them were very snide religions.
1894. Maskelyne, Sharps & Flats, 309. A holdout in the vest is more use than snide jewelry in the pocket.
B. sb. 1. Counterfeit jewelry; base coin.
1885. Lisbon (Dakota) Star, 27 March, 5. They pass by the jewels and take ‘the snide,’ for that is all they know.
1887. Times, 22 Dec., 14/2. Witness caught hold of Clark and said ‘Bill, I think you have a little snide (base coin) on you.’
2. Comb., as snide-pitcher, -pitching; snidesman.
1862. Cornh. Mag., Nov., 649. Every professional thief is considered as belonging to the branch of thieving in which he excels the most, and he is named after it:… a snyde pitcher, a magsman,… as the case may be.
1868. Temple Bar, XXIV. 538. Snyde-pitching is passing bad money.
1896. A. Morrison, Child of the Jago, 111. An outer fringe of such dippers—such pickpockets—as could dress well, welshers, and snidesmen.
