or pickaroon, picaro, subs. (old).—A rogue; a shabster: also as verb. = to rob; to prowl in quest of plunder.—B. E. (c. 1696); GROSE (1785). Also, ON THE PICARO = on the MAKE (q.v.). See pick, verb. 1.
c. 1617. HOWELL, Familiar Letters, I. iii. 30. I could not recover your diamond Hatband, which the PICAROON snatched from you in the Coach, tho’ I used all Means Possible.
1653. MIDDLETON, The Spanish Gipsy, ii. 1. The arts … used by our Spanish PICAROES—I mean filching, foisting, nimming, jilting.
1675. CROWNE, The Country Wit, iii. 1. These night-corsairs and Algerines call’d the Watch, that PICAROON up and down the streets.
1749. SMOLLETT, Gil Blas, VII. ii. Monsieur de Santillane … I see you have been in your time a little ON THE PICARO.
1821. SCOTT, Kenilworth, xx. Notwithstanding thy boasted honesty, friend … I think I see in thy countenance something of the pedlar, something of the PICAROON.
