prick the garter
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
An old swindling game, better known as "Fast and loose." See under FAST.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “prick the garter” mean?
An old swindling game, better known as "Fast and loose." See under FAST.
Is “prick the garter” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.