blue pigeons
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Thieves who steal lead off houses and churches. Cant. To fly a blue pigeon; to steal lead off houses or churches.
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 “blue pigeons” mean?
Thieves who steal lead off houses and churches. Cant. To fly a blue pigeon; to steal lead off houses or churches.
Is “blue pigeons” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.