socket-money
Preserved but no longer current.
Money extorted by threats of exposure. To be applied to for SOCKET-MONEY is perhaps one of the most terrible inflictions that can befall a respectable man. SOCKETERS, as the applicants are called, should be punished with the utmost possible severity.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
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 “socket-money” mean?
Money extorted by threats of exposure. To be applied to for SOCKET-MONEY is perhaps one of the most terrible inflictions that can befall a respectable man. SOCKETERS, as the applicants are called, should be punished with the utmost possible severity.
Is “socket-money” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.