subs. phr. (old).—A school in which young thieves were trained: figures were dressed up, and experienced thieves stood in various difficult attitudes for the boys to practise upon; when clever enough they were sent on the streets. Dickens gives full particulars of this old style of ‘business’ in Oliver Twist.
1781. G. PARKER, A View of Society, II., 173. [A BUZ-NAPPER’S ACADEMY is named and described in this work.]
