bulk and file
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Two pickpockets; the bulk jostles the party to be robbed, and the file does the business.
Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt
Hai tên móc túi, một người làm phân tâm và người kia thực hiện việc
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
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 “bulk and file” mean?
Two pickpockets; the bulk jostles the party to be robbed, and the file does the business.
Is “bulk and file” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.