spivn.

1929 ‘C. G. Gordon’ Crooks of Underworld 230 A favourite and easy method of ‘jimming’ is one that has long been in use by unscrupulous race-course frequenters. Supposing a clique of Manchester ‘spives’ were coming down to London [etc.].

1934 A. Bracey School for Scoundrels 336 Spiv, petty crook who will turn his hand to anything so long as it does not involve honest work.

1937 Evening News 12 Mar. 15/6 (advt.) With the Lincoln and the Grand National in the offing, the twisters, the welshers, the ‘spivs’ and the ‘boys’ are getting ready for a profitable session of the gentle sport of rooking the racegoer.

1939 J. Worby (title) Spiv's Progress.

1945 B. Naughton in C. Madge Pilot Papers 99 We'll have to keep an eye on him. Spivs are lary perishers. Anything goes wrong they'll never risk their own skin.

1947 Times 13 Aug. 6/1 If spivs meant men living by their wits, the nets could be thrown very wide indeed.

1948 I. J. C. Brown No Idle Words 107 It is queer that its [sc. deep's] opposite, wide, should have replaced it in Spiv-English.

1952 ‘J. Henry’ Who lie in Gaol viii. 123 In appearance, he resembled the typical spiv; with coat-hanger shoulders, and pointed shoes, and a smile that would have been an asset to any confidence man.

1958 People 4 May 1/4 Who was responsible for letting the spivs hi-jack the crowds at Wembley?

1965 New Statesman 26 Nov. 851/1 The emergence of Robert Stephens, once a type-cast West End performer of small, seedy spiv-roles, as a major heroic actor in the making.

1978 Cornish Guardian 27 Apr. 3 Metrication will be an open invitation for every spiv and racketeer to cheat the British public.

1947 Times 18 Nov. 2/4 Instead of that brave new Britain all they had left was a land fit for bookies to spiv in.

1952 A. Wilson Hemlock & After i. v. 96 I've spivved along on my own steam as far as I can go.

1959 I. Jefferies Thirteen Days iii. 37 Scruffy lot. They'll get spivved up quick enough for a Naafi girl.

1971 B. W. Aldiss Soldier Erect 177 We spivved ourselves up, put on clean shirts, and strolled out of camp.

1976 Listener 26 Feb. 245/4 The pelvic lead singer, spivved, moustached, sharp.

1948 Chambers's Jrnl. Oct. 547/1 Recognition of a unique quality in him, not to be obliterated by the sordid elements in his story, his obvious shiftiness of character, his spivery attributes or his too frequent lapses.

1957 R. Hoggart Uses of Literacy ix. 225 Where domestic or personal roots are weak or have been forcibly broken, these attitudes can quickly lead to an extensive moral ‘spivvery’.

1976 Times 5 Feb. 21/5 Willott..has no time for spivvery within or without the law.

1948 C. Day Lewis Otterbury Incident ii. 18 Tilting his hat at an even more spivvish angle.

1956 D. M. Davin Sullen Bell 87 There were few people in the restaurant, spivvish-looking and absorbed.

1965 New Statesman 19 Mar. 463/1 The spivvish businessman.

1966 J. Gloag Sentence of Life ii. 30 The inspector's jacket was sharply, spivishly waisted.

1945 B. Naughton in C. Madge Pilot Papers 99 See his Spivy coat—the width of the lapels, the padded-out shoulders?

1951 A. Koestler Age of Longing i. i. 7 Surrounded by relatives and friends, a spivvy son and an insipid daughter,..he would have to meet the ultimate ordeal.

1978 Time Out 18 Aug. 55/5 Hoffman, spivvy and moustached for maximum seediness, is an ex-con on parole who can't go straight.