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blow a peter
What does blow a peter mean?
To 'blow a peter' is to force a safe open using explosives such as nitroglycerine. It was a signature yegg technique.
"Blowing a peter at three in the morning is a good way to bring every cop in the county."
Origin
American/British cant, late 19th–early 20th century; 'peter' = safe.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'blow a peter' mean?
It means to force a safe open using explosives such as nitroglycerine. A 'peter' is cant for a safe, and blowing one was a signature yegg technique.
Where does 'blow a peter' come from?
It is American and British cant from the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, when 'peter' meant a safe and explosive safecracking was common.
Is 'blow a peter' still used?
It is mostly a historical phrase now, from the era of nitroglycerine safecracking rather than modern crime.
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