Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A particular kind of swindling beggar. See the quotation.
- noun A begging-letter writer.
Etymologies
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Examples
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whichbe commented on the word jarkman
A vagabond who fabricates counterfeit passes, licenses and certificates for others.
May 12, 2008
bilby commented on the word jarkman
See citation on pailliard.
September 6, 2008
Gammerstang commented on the word jarkman
(noun) - (1) He that can write and reade, and sometime speake Latin. He useth these skills to make counterfaite licences which they call gybes, and sets to seales, in their language falsified documents called jarks. --John Awdelay's Fraternitye of Vagabondes, 1561 (2) Yea, the jarkman is so cunning sometimes that he can speake Latine, which learning of his lifts him up to advancement. By that means he becomes Clarke of their Hall, and his office is to make counterfeit licenses, to which he puts seales, and those are termed jarkes. --Thomas Dekker's The Belman of London, 1608 (3) Jark was rogues' cant for a seal, whence also a license of the Bethlehem Hospital "Bedlam" to beg. --Ebenezer Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, 1870
April 22, 2018