† hedge-creepern.
Obsolete.
1. ‘One that skulks under hedges for bad purposes’ (Johnson); a hedge-bird; a sneaking rogue.
ΘΚΠ
society > morality > moral evil > wickedness > roguery, knavery, or rascalry > [noun] > rogue, knave, or rascal > sneaking rogue
hedge-creeper1548
hedge-bird1631
society > travel > aspects of travel > travel from place to place > [noun] > without fixed aim or wandering > vagrancy or vagabondage > vagabond or tramp
harlot?c1225
raikera1400
vacabond1404
vagrant1444
gangrela1450
briber?c1475
palliard1484
vagabondc1485
rogue1489
wavenger1493
hermit1495
gaberlunzie1508
knight of the field1508
loiterer1530
straggler1530
runagate1534
ruffler1535
hedge-creeper1548
Abraham man1567
cursitor1567
runner1567
walker1567
tinker1575
traveller1598
Tartar1602
stravagant1606
wagand1614
Circumcellion1623
meechera1625
hedge-bird1631
gaberlunzie man1649
tramp1664
stroller1681
jockey1685
bird of passage1717
randy1724
tramper1760
stalko1804
vagabondager1813
rintherout1814
piker1838
pikey1838
beachcomber1840
roadster1851
vagabondizer1860
roustabout1862
bum1864
migratory1866
potter1867
sundowner1868
vag1868
walkabout1872
transient1877
Murrumbidgee whaler1878
rouster1882
run-the-hedge1882
whaler1883
shaughraun1884
heather-cat1886
hobo1889
tussocker1889
gay cat1893
overlander1898
stake-man1899
stiff1899
bindle-stiff1900
dingbat1902
stew-bum1902
tired Tim (also Timothy)1906
skipper1925
Strandlooper1927
knight of the road1928
hobohemian1936
plain turkey1955
scrub turkey1955
derro1963
jakey1988
crusty1990
1548 W. Patten Exped. Scotl. sig. M.viij.v A doosein or .xx. of their hedge crepers horsmen, that lay lurking thearby.
1594 T. Nashe Vnfortunate Traveller sig. Cv A sweating eausdropper, a scraping hedgecreeper.
1688 J. Bunyan Good News for Vilest of Men 34 These poor, lame, maimed, blind, hedg-creepers, and high-way men, Must come in.
1708 P. A. Motteux Wks. F. Rabelais (1737) V. 217 Rovers, Ruffian-Rogues, and Hedge-Creepers.
2. A hobgoblin, pixy.
ΚΠ
c1580 tr. Bugbears iii. iii, in Archiv f. das Studium der Neueren Sprachen (1897) 99 Wood-crepers, hedg~crepers, and the whyte and red fearye.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1898; most recently modified version published online June 2021).
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n.1548