subs. (old).—1. An intriguer: SHIFTY-COVE = a trickster (GROSE). Also (2) = a thief; (3) a sharper; and (4) a drunkard. Whence SHIFTY (or SHIFTING) = tricky (now recognised); SHIFTING = (1) shuffling, stealing, swindling; and (2) = drinking.
1567. AWDELEY, The Fraternitye of Vacabondes. As well as of rufling Vacabondes, as of beggerley,… with a Description of the Crafty Company of Cousoners and SHIFTERS. [Title.]
1584. ROBINSON, Pleasant Delights [ARBER], 14.
| Maids must be manerly, not full of scurility, wherein I see you excel,… | |
| A lustie lim lifter, you are a trim SHIFTER, &c. |
1593. SHAKESPEARE, Comedy of Errors, iii. 2, 187. I see a man here needs not live by SHIFTS.
1598. FLORIO, A Worlde of Wordes. Bazaro … a SHIFTER, a conicatcher … a haltersacke.
1601. JONSON, The Poetaster, iii. 1. Thou art an honest SHIFTER; I’ll have the statue repealed for thee.
1607. Common Council Enactment. SHIFTERS, people lyvinge by Cozeainge, Stealinge, and Imbeazellinge of Men’s Goodes as opportunitye may serve them.
1608. WITHALS, Dictionary. A SHIFTER whome they call a cunny-catcher.
1619. The Falles of Vnfortunate Princes, 144.
| Nought more then subtill SHIFTINGS did me please, | |
| With bloodshed, craftie, vndermining men. |
1616. The Rich Cabinet, etc. 136. Shifting doeth many times incurre the indignitie of reproch, & to be counted a SHIFTER, is as if a man would say in plaine tearmes a coosener.
1630. TAYLOR (‘The Water Poet’), Workes, ‘A Thiefe.’
| And let those SHIFTERS their owne Iudges be, | |
| If they haue not bin arrant Thieues to me. |
1637. HEYWOOD, The Royal King, ii. 2 [PEARSON, Works (1874), vi. 38]. He scornes to be a changeling, or a SHIFTER.
1639. FLETCHER, The Bloody Brother, iv. 2.
| Pip. They have so little | |
| As well may free them from the name of SHIFTERS. |
1659. MILTON, A Treatise of Civil Power in Ecclesiastical Causes. By opposing truth to error, no unequal match; truth the strong, to error the weak, though sly and SHIFTING.
2. (thieves’).—An alarm: as given by one thief in watching to another ‘on the job.’—VAUX (1812).
