General
angler
What does angler mean?
Also called a 'curber'; the hooked staff itself was the 'curb' or 'angle'.
"His curb was jointed to fold small under a coat, then run out long at the window."
Origin
Described in Robert Greene's 'The Second Part of Conny-Catching' (1592) and in Harman (1566), where the trade is also called 'curbing'. The names come straight from the angling and curbing of goods out on a hook.
Frequently asked questions
What is an angler in thieves' cant?
A thief who used a hooked pole to 'fish' goods out through open windows, described in Greene (1592) and Harman (1566).
What was the curb?
The jointed hooked staff the angler used; the trade was also called curbing.
Did anglers break into houses?
No — they reached in from outside with the hook, which made the crime harder to pin on them.
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Vocabulary Flow — saved to your collection.
