DOWN ON THE KNUCKLE-BONE, phr. (thieves’).—Hard-up; STONEY (q.v.).
1883. Daily Telegraph, 4 Aug., p. 2, col. 1. I once had the honour of being present at a ‘select harmonic’ held in the shady neighbourhood of Foxcourt, in Grays Inn-lane, which, according to the card pertaining thereto, was for the benefit of someone who was DOWN ON THE KNUCKLE BONE in consequence of having been put away since the previous October (it was then the month of March), and only just now released.
