buz-bloke
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A pickpocket who principally confines his attention to purses and loose cash. Grose gives BUZ-GLOAK, an ancient cant word. GLOAK was old cant for a man. BUZ-NAPPER, a young pickpocket.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “buz-bloke” mean?
A pickpocket who principally confines his attention to purses and loose cash. Grose gives BUZ-GLOAK, an ancient cant word. GLOAK was old cant for a man. BUZ-NAPPER, a young pickpocket.
Is “buz-bloke” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.