purse-pickern.
/ˈpəːsˌpɪkə/, U.S. /ˈpərsˌpɪkər/ Now rare.
A thief who picks purses; = pickpurse n. 1.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > taking > stealing or theft > thief > pickpocket or cutpurse > [noun]
pickpursec1385
pursepick?a1513
purse-picker1549
nipper1585
nip1591
purser1640
1549 J. Cheke Hurt of Sedicion sig. E4v They haue all their lyfe after an vnsauory smacke therof, and smel still towarde daie sleepers, pursepikers.
1571 G. Buchanan Admonitioun Trew Lordis sig. B.6v Sufferis..purspykaris..to exercise thift and reif as a craft.
1622 J. Taylor Arrant Thiefe in Wks. (1630) ii. 121/1 He..may rob the pot, Steale himself drunke, and be his owne Purspicker, And chimically turnes his coyne to liquor.
1706 C. Ludwig Teutsch-Englisches Lexicon (1789) 267/1 Beutelschneider, a cut-purse; a pick-pocket; a purse-picker.
1929 P. Foley Octagon Crystal v. 40 You tell me all those you have seen—the man in the café—the purse picker—their chief—all have the copper skin—it is evident to me they belong to the race of the North American Indians.
2006 www.phillyblog.com 16 Nov. (O.E.D. Archive) One thing to look out for when it's crowded are pickpockets/purse pickers. I had my wallet stolen several times.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2007; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1549- to make meaning of
- to make meaning on
- to make means
- to make meat
- to make meat of
- to make medicine
- to make melody
- to make memory of
- to hold in awe
- to hold in chertee
- to hold in contempt
- to hold in contempt of court
- to hold in demesne
- to hold in esteem, contempt, memory, etc
- to hold in estimation
- to hold in etc reputation
- to hold in etc respect
- to hold in etc reverence
- to hold in fable
- to hold in farm
- to hold in fee
- to hold in feu-farm
- to hold in feufarm
- to hold in great reputation
- to hold in great reverence