angling for farthings
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Begging out of a prison window with a cap, or box, let down at the end of a long string.
Era: ca. 1811 (Georgian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1811 edition, public domain; Project Gutenberg #5402, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “angling for farthings” mean?
Begging out of a prison window with a cap, or box, let down at the end of a long string.
Is “angling for farthings” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.