starve’em
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
~Rob’em~, and ~Cheat’em~, the adjoining towns of Stroud, Rochester, and Chatham are so designated by soldiers and sailors; from some fancied peculiarities of the inhabitants.
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 “starve’em” mean?
~Rob’em~, and ~Cheat’em~, the adjoining towns of Stroud, Rochester, and Chatham are so designated by soldiers and sailors; from some fancied peculiarities of the inhabitants.
Is “starve’em” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.