or sheney.—1. A Jew; a YID (q.v.): used by Gentiles and by Jews (jocosely by the latter). Whence (2) a pawnbroker: pawnbroking, like the fruit and fish trade, is mainly (in London at least) in the hands of Jews. Also as adj. = base, Jewish, fraudulent: also SHEEN.
1847. THACKERAY, The Book of Snobs, xiv. SHEENY and Moses are seen smoking their pipes before their lazy shutters in Seven-Dials.
1848. E. Z. C. JUDSON (‘Ned Buntline’), The Mysteries and Miseries of New York, iv. You hav’nt got no more stock than a broken-down SHENEY.
1862. Cornhill Magazine, vi. 648. I shall let old Abraham the SHEENEY have it, at four punt and a half a nob.
1866. G. A. SALA, A Trip to Barbary, 16. He was manifestly a Jew … a most splendid SHEENY, standing at the door of a little shop crammed with curiosities.
c. 1870. Broadside Ballad, ‘The Talkative Man from Poplar.’ Last Sunday he went down Petticoat Lane, Talked a SHEENEY out of his watch and chain.
1876. C. HINDLEY, ed. The Life and Adventures of a Cheap Jack, 307. Tell him that the little ‘SHENEY,’ i.e., Jew, don’t forget his kindness.
1879. J. W. HORSLEY, ‘Autobiography of a Thief,’ in Macmillan’s Magazine, XL. 501. I took the daisies to a SHENEY down the gaff.
1888. PAYN, The Eavesdropper, II. ii. ‘Can you smash a thick un for me?’ inquired one, handing his friend a sovereign. ‘You’re sure it ain’t SHEEN?’ returned the other, with a diabolical grin.
1891. Licensed Victuallers’ Gazette, 3 April. Down went the East-ender smothered in gore, and … from all parts of the crowd there came shouts of, “the SHEENIE wins!” Ibid. The SHEENIES chuckled at the thought of the chosen race once more “spoiling the Egyptians.” Ibid., 23 Jan. ‘Don’t like that SHEENEY friend of yours,’ he said; ‘if you don’t look out he’ll have you.’
1893. P. H. EMERSON, Signor Lippo, xxi. I used to spend a couple of thick ’uns a Friday in fish and greenstuff, and then fill up with oranges and nuts for Sunday, going down the lane for them, buying from the SHEENEYS.
