snitch
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To give information to the police, to turn approver. SNITCHING is synonymous in thieves’ slang with "nosing" and "peaching."
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 “snitch” mean?
To give information to the police, to turn approver. SNITCHING is synonymous in thieves’ slang with "nosing" and "peaching."
Is “snitch” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.