General
lift
What does lift mean?
As a noun, a theft or the trade of stealing — and 'the lift' was a recognised canting law (con) of its own.
"Greene wrote up 'the lifting law' as one of the great trades of the rogues."
Origin
Documented in Robert Greene's pamphlets, which describe 'the lifting law' as an organised trade (c.1591-92), and in later glossaries. The cant verb 'lift' is the root of the modern 'shoplift'.
Frequently asked questions
What does lift mean in thieves' cant?
To steal — the canting verb for taking goods, especially from shops, described in Greene's 1590s pamphlets as 'the lifting law'.
Is this where shoplifting comes from?
Yes — modern 'shoplift' descends directly from this old cant sense of 'lift' meaning to steal.
What was the lifting law?
An organised trade of theft in the rogues' world, worked by a team of a lifter, a stall and a marker.
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