LADDER. "He mounted the ladder," he was hung.
LAMBASTE. Flog. "Lambaste the bloke," flog the fellow.
LAMP. Eye. "The cove has a queer lamp," the man has a blind or squinting eye.
LAND-BROKER. An undertaker. "The cove buys lands for stiff uns," the man purchases land for dead people.
LAP. Drink; butter-milk; pick it up; to take; to steal.
LAP UP. To wipe out; to put out of sight.
LARK. A boat; a piece of fun; looking for something to steal; on a lark.
LATHY. Not fat. "I touched the joskin's skin, but it was as lathy as his jaws were lantern," I stole the countryman's purse, but it was as thin as his face.
LAW. "Give the cove law," give the fellow a chance to escape.
LAY. A particular kind of rascality, trade, or profession; on the look out; watching for something to steal. Sometimes the same as gait. "What's the cove's lay?" "Why, you see, he is on the ken's crack"--house-breaking.
LEAF. Autumn. "I will be out in the leaf," I will be out in the autumn.
LEAST. Keep out of the way; hide; out of sight.
LEATHER. A pocket-book; portmonnaie. "The bloke lost his leather," the man lost his pocket-book.
LEFT-HANDED WIFE. A concubine. It was an ancient custom among the Germans for a man, if he married his concubine, to give her his left hand, instead of the right.
LIB. Sleep. "The coves lib together," the fellows sleep together.
LIFT. Help. "Lift the poor cove, he is almost lenten," help the poor fellow, he is almost starved.
LION. Be saucy; lion the fellow; make a loud noise; substitute noise for good sense; frighten; bluff.
LIVE EELS. Fields. "Bill has gone to live eels, to read and write with Joe." _See Read._
LOBSNEAK. A fellow that robs money-drawers.
LOCK. Sometimes a receiver of stolen money; a character. "The cove stood a queer lock," the fellow had a bad character.
LOLL. The favorite child; the mother's darling.
LONG-TAILED-ONES. Bank bills for large amount.
LOPE. Run; be off. "The cove loped down the dancers, and got off with the wedge-feeders," the thief leaped down the stairs, and got away with the silver spoons.
LOUNGE. The prisoner's box in a criminal court.
LOWING-LAY. Stealing cattle, oxen, or cows.
LULLIE-PRIGGERS. Thieves who rob clothes-lines.
LUMBER. To walk; to walk in a careless, unconcerned manner.