| 释义 |
pickpocket, n.|ˈpɪkpɒkɪt|
[f. pick v.1 9 + pocket: see pick-.]
1. One who steals from or ‘picks’ pockets; a thief who follows the practice of stealing things from the pockets of others.
1591Greene Disc. Coosnage Pref. (1592) 2 The picke⁓pockets and cut-purses, are nothing so dangerous to meete, as these coosning Cunny-catchers. 1668Rolle Abridgm., Action sur Case xx. 73 Si home dit de A. He was a Pick⁓pocket, and he picked my pocket, and took 12s. of money out of my pocket. Nul Action gist. 1711Steele Spect. No. 78 ⁋4 It was only a Pickpocket, who during his Kissing her stole away all his Money. 1858Lytton What will he do i. iv, He did not wish to..turn shoeblack or pickpocket.
transf. and fig.1593G. Harvey Pierce's Super. Wks. (Grosart) II. 272 The pickthanke of vanity, the pickpocket of foolery, the pickpurse of all the palteries, and knaueries in Print. 1823Lamb Elia Ser. ii. Old Margate Hoy, The nibbling pick-pockets of your patience.
attrib.a1716South Serm. (1744) XI. 29, I do not mean the auricular pick-pocket confession of the Papists. 1764Gray Candidate 6 Such a sheep-biting look, such a pick⁓pocket air! 1823Syd. Smith Wks. (1859) II. 12/2 His mission to the fifth or pickpocket quarter of the globe.
2. dial. Given as a name to various weeds which impoverish the land, as Shepherd's Purse, Corn Spurrey, etc.: cf. next 2 and see Eng. Dial. Dict.
1875Sussex Gloss., Pickpockets, Shepherd's purse.
Hence ˈpickˌpocket v., usually as vbl. n.; ˌpick-ˈpocketing, stealing from pockets; pick-ˈpocketism, the practice of picking pockets; also transf.; pickˈpocketry = prec.: in quot. ‘plagiarism’.
1673R. Head Canting Acad. 5 They will dextrously *pick pocket.
1789G. Parker Life's Painter xv. 176 Going upon the knuckle is going a thieving, *pickpocketing, &c. 1818J. Milner in F. C. Husenbeth Life J. Milner (1862) xx. 353 Not only an affront of a real diabolical nature, but also a serious pick-pocketing roguery. 1838Dickens O. Twist xliii, A pick⁓pocketing case, your worship. 1886Pall Mall G. 17 Sept. 4/1 Pickpocketing is merely another form of gambling. 1957Manvell & Huntley Technique Film Music 232 The ‘Juggler's Waltz’ is a period piece for a music-hall act which takes place in a Paris café during an incident in which the visiting Inspector of Police witnesses a pick-pocketing attempt. 1977New Society 7 July 5/2 Their game has confused pickpocketing with bag snatching and mugging.
1830Examiner 612/1 The *pick-pocketism above alluded to cannot be defended.
1803Southey Lett. (1856) I. 238 The crime of pedantry, stupidity, jackassness, and *pickpocketry. |