Street
knuckle
What does knuckle mean?
In old cant a 'knuckle' or 'nuck' is a pickpocket, and to 'knuckle' is to pick pockets.
"The knuckles worked the fairground crowds all afternoon."
Origin
British thieves' cant, 18th–19th century.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'knuckle' mean in thieves' cant?
As a noun it means a pickpocket; as a verb, to 'knuckle' is to pick pockets. The clipped form 'nuck' carries the same sense.
Where does this sense of 'knuckle' come from?
It is British thieves' cant of the 18th and 19th centuries, distinct from the anatomical meaning of the word.
Is it related to 'knuckle down' or 'knuckle sandwich'?
No. Those are separate everyday idioms. This is a specialist old crime term for a pickpocket.
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