Street

gun

What does gun mean?

In older underworld cant 'gun' means a thief or pickpocket. It derives from Yiddish 'gonif' rather than the weapon.

"He was a gun from way back, working fairs and racetracks up and down the coast."

From Yiddish 'gonif/gonef' (thief), clipped to 'gun.'

What does 'gun' mean in underworld cant?

In older underworld cant 'gun' means a thief or pickpocket, not a firearm. It derives from Yiddish 'gonif' meaning thief.

Why does 'gun' mean thief and not weapon?

This sense comes from Yiddish 'gonif' or 'gonef', meaning thief, clipped down to 'gun'. It is unrelated to the weapon of the same spelling.

Is this 'gun' still used today?

It is chiefly a historical cant term now, though it survives in the derived slang 'cannon' for a skilled pickpocket.

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