General
stall
What does stall mean?
As a verb, to stall — to screen a thief or to act as cover for the deed.
"You stall the cully and I'll have his watch in three breaths."
Origin
Recorded in Elizabethan rogue pamphlets and later canting dictionaries (B.E. 1699, Grose 1785). The thieving 'stall' is the screening accomplice; the modern sense of 'to stall' (delay) grew from this idea of cover and distraction.
Frequently asked questions
What does stall mean in thieves' cant?
A pickpocket's accomplice who screened or distracted the victim while the thief worked — recorded in the rogue pamphlets and Grose (1785).
Is the modern 'stall for time' related?
Yes — the sense of delaying or distracting grew out of the thief's stall, whose whole job was cover.
How did a stall work with a foin?
The stall jostled or distracted the mark while the foin (pickpocket) drew the purse, then both melted into the crowd.
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