glazier
Preserved but no longer current.
One who breaks windows and shew-glasses, to steal goods exposed for sale. Glaziers; eyes. CANT.--Is your father a glazier; a question asked of a lad or young man, who stands between the speaker and the candle, or fire. If it is answered in the negative, the rejoinder is--I wish he was, that he might make a window through your body, to enable us to see the fire or light.
Era: ca. 1811 (Georgian)
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 “glazier” mean?
One who breaks windows and shew-glasses, to steal goods exposed for sale. Glaziers; eyes. CANT.--Is your father a glazier; a question asked of a lad or young man, who stands between the speaker and the candle, or fire. If it is answered in the negative, the rejoinder is--I wish he was, that he might make a window through your body, to enable us to see the fire or light.
Is “glazier” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.