thimblerigger

See also: thimble-rigger

English

Alternative forms

• thimble-rigger

Etymology

thimblerig +‎ -er or thimble +‎ rigger

Noun

thimblerigger (plural thimbleriggers)

1. Someone who cheats by thimblerigging, or similar tricks involving sleight of hand.
   • 1899, Stephen Crane, chapter 1, in Twelve O'Clock:

     “ […] Them rich fellers, they don't make no bad breaks with their money. They watch it all th' time b'cause they know blame well there ain't hardly room fer their feet fer th' pikers an' tin-horns an' thimble-riggers what are layin' fer 'em. […] ”

   • 1980, Bernard MacLaverty, 'Lamb' (novel), (Chapter 6, at page 50 in the 1981 King Penguin paperback edition):

     "Mrs Kane has been filling us in on some background information on Owen." The woman nodded, drumming her nicotined fingers. "And I have been assuring her that the boys who arrive here thimbleriggers and termagants are the least of our worries. But we do not send them out that way. Do we, Brother?"

Translations

one who cheats by thimblerigging

• Irish: fear méaracán m, fear na méaracán m
• Spanish: trilero m, trilera f

References

• “thimblerigger”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.