Hooker

subs. (old cant).—1.  A thief; an ANGLER (q.v.). Also (modern), a watch-stealer; a DIP (q.v.). Cf., quots. 1567 and 1888.

  1567.  HARMAN, A Caveat or Warening for Common Cursetors, p. 35, These HOKERS, or Angglers, be peryllous and most wicked knaues,… they customably carry with them a staffe of v. or vi. foote long, in which, within one ynch of the tope thereof, ys a lytle hole bored through, [leaf 9] in which hole they putte an yron hoke, and with the same they wyll pluck vnto them quickly any thing that they may reche ther with.

  1610.  ROWLANDS, Martin Mark-all, p. 8 [Hunterian Club’s Reprint, 1874]. They are sure to be clyd in the night by the angler, or HOOKER, or such like pilferers that liue upon the spoyle of other poore people.

  1611.  DAVIES, The Scourge of Folly, p. 34 [Wks., Ed. GROSART].

  c. 1696.  B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v. HOOKERS, the third Rank of Canters; also Sharpers.

  1725.  A New Canting Dictionary, s.v.

  1834.  W. H. AINSWORTH, Rookwood, bk. III., ch. v., ‘Oath of the Canting Crew.’

  1888.  Tit-Bits, 17 Nov., p. 82, col. 2. There are usually three men in a gang; the HOOKER having got into conversation with his man, number two ‘covers’ his movements, whilst number three (on the opposite side of the street) keeps a look-out for the ‘enemy.’ The HOOKER, having by careful manipulation got a hold of the desired prize, detaches it from the chain by breaking the ring and passes it to number two, who in turn passes it on to number three, from whom it is usually transferred to a receiver and melted down within a few hours of its being purloined.

  2.  (American).—A prostitute: i.e., a fisher, angler, or HOOKER of men. For synonyms, see BARRACK-HACK and TART.