dancer
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Synonym of garreter (“a thief who used housetops to enter by garret windows”).
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
[A]bout 40 were burglars, "dancers," "garreters," and other adepts with the skeleton keys.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “dancer” mean?
Synonym of garreter (“a thief who used housetops to enter by garret windows”).
Is “dancer” formal or informal?
dancer is generally slang.