second-storey man
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
A thief, especially one who climbs into buildings above ground level.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
They were appalled by his idea of making a spy service out of a scattershot collection of Wall Street brokers, Ivy League eggheads, soldiers of fortune, ad men, news men, stunt men, second-story men, and con men.
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 “second-storey man” mean?
A thief, especially one who climbs into buildings above ground level.
Is “second-storey man” formal or informal?
second-storey man is generally slang.