subs. (common).—1. A young street vagrant: also STREET ARAB and CITY ARAB. Whence (2) an outcast.
1848. T. GUTHRIE, A Plea for Ragged Schools. [In this work the homeless wanderers and children of the streets were spoken of as ARABS OF THE CITY, and CITY ARABS.]
1848. SHAFTESBURY, Speech in Parliament, 6 June. CITY ARABS … are like tribes of lawless freebooters, bound by no obligations and utterly ignorant or utterly regardless of social duties.
1859. H. KINGSLEY, Recollections of Geoffry Hamlyn, xlii. Tossed from workhouse to prison, from prison to hulk—every man’s hand against him—an ARAB of society.
1872. C. S. CALVERLEY, Fly Leaves [Title]. The ARAB.
1883. Pall Mall Gazette, 27 Oct., 5. The hero and heroine began life as STREET ARABS of Glasgow.
