cutpurse
/ˈkʌtpəːs
/noun archaic
A pickpocket or thief.Pleas of the crown should also be heard at these sessions, before bailiffs and coroners, except for cases of cutpurses and thieves caught redhanded or arrested upon complaint of a visiting outsider (as in the time of fair or market)....
- Not even the moon shone on the black, starless night and the woman picked her way carefully across the city, keeping a wary eye out for cutpurses and nocturnal pickpockets.
- There, training of every sort took place, from that of the humble cutpurse, to specialist thieves who employed magic to enhance their talents at burglary.
Origin
Late Middle English: with reference to stealing by cutting purses suspended from a waistband.
- jackie hangman
- jack-in-office
- jack in (or into)
- jack-in-the-box
- Jack-in-the-pulpit
- jackknife
- jackknife clam
- jackknife fish
- jackleg
- jack light
- Jacklin, Tony
- jack mackerel
- Jack Mormon
- Jack Nohi
- jack of all trades (and master of none)
- jack off
- jack-o'-lantern
- jack pine
- jack plane
- jack plug
- jackpot
- jackrabbit
- Jack Russell
- Jack Russell terrier
- jacks