Flash-man

subs. (old).—Primarily a man talking FLASH (see quots., 1823 and 1862); hence, a rogue, a thief, the landlord of a FLASH-CASE (q.v.). Also a FANCY-JOSEPH (for synonyms, see FANCY-MAN). In America, a person with no visible means of support, but living in style and ‘snowing up’ well.

  1789.  G. PARKER, Life’s Painter, p. 141. A FLASHMAN is one who lives on the hackneyed prostitution of an unfortunate woman of the town.

  1823.  W. T. MONCRIEFF, Tom and Jerry, II., 1.

  1823.  BADCOCK (‘Jon Bee’), Dictionary of the Turf, etc., p. 80. Derived from his language, and this again has its appellation (’tis suggested) from the first FLASH-MEN being highwaymen, that then generally abounded (circa 1770). He is the favorite, or protector of a prostitute, whose FLASH-MAN he is; and she is called inversely, his FLASH-WOMAN.

  c. 1833.  Broadside Ballad. My FLASH-MAN has gone to sea.

  1849.  New South Wales, Past, Present, and Future, ch. i., p. 14. This man was known to Mr. Day to be what is termed a FLASH-MAN; and, seeing his own imminent danger, he instantly spoke to him and called him a cowardly rascal, and offered to give him shot for shot, while he was re-loading.

  1859.  H. KINGSLEY, Recollections of Geoffry Hamlyn, ch. v. You’re playing a dangerous game, my FLASHMAN.

  1862.  SMILES, Lives of the Engineers, vol. I., pt. 5, ch. i., p. 307. Those articles were sold throughout the country by pedestrian hawkers, most of whom lived in the wild country called ‘THE FLASH,’ from a hamlet of that name situated between Buxton, Leek, and Macclesfield…. Travelling about from fair to fair, and using a cant or slang dialect, they became generally known as ‘FLASH MEN,’ and the name still survives [to which may be added: ‘They paid, at first, ready-money, but when they had established a credit, paid in promissory notes which were rarely honoured—BREWER].

  a. 1873.  Lyra Flagitiosa. [Quoted in HOTTEN.]