1642. Howell, Forraine Travell [Arber], 77. If there bee a theefe in the Candle . . . there is a way to pull it out; and not to put out the candle.
1644. Quarles, Judgment and Mercy (1807), 132. If a thief be in his candle blow it not out.
1669. Brooks, Cabinet of Choice Jewels (Works, iii. 295). A candle will never burn clear while there is a thief in it.
d. 1797. Walpole, Letters (Cunningham), ii. 200. Un voleur! un voleur! cried Mrs Nugent at an assembly. It turned out to be a thief in the candle.
2. (provincial).—A bramble: cf. bramble = country lawyer, keeping in mind the A.S. thefe-thorn = bramble.
3. Synonyms for Thief [= a person guilty of larceny, robbery, swindling, or crookedness of any kind: the following list runs up and down the whole gamut of roguery].
Aaron; abacter; abaddon; abandanad; abraham cove; ack-man; ack-pirate; acquisitive cove; Adam; Adam Filer; adept; affidavit-man; afflicke; alsatian; ambidexter; amuser; anabaptist; angler; angling-cove; arch-cove; arch-dell; arch-doxy (Grose); arch-gonnof; arch-rogue; area-sneak; ark-pirate; ark-ruff; artful-dodger; autem-diver; avoirdupois-man.
Babe; back-jumper; back-*stall; badger; baggage-smasher; baldover; bank-sneak; barabbas; barnacle; baster; beak; beaker-hauler; beaker-hunter; bearer-up; beau-trap (Grose); bene-feaker; bene-gybe; bester; bilk (Sheridan); bilker; Billy Buzman; billy-fencer; birdlime; bite; bit-faker; bit-make; black-*leg; blasted-fellow; bleating-cull; blowed-in-the-glass-stiff (American tramps'); bludger; bludget; blue-pigeon flyer; bluey-hunter; bob; bobby-twister; bonnet; boodler; bookkeeper; bouncer; boung-nipper; bow-*man; bridle-cull; brief-snatcher; broad cove; broadsman; bubber; bubble; bubbler; budge; buffer; buffer-napper; bugger; bug-hunter; bulk; bulk-and-file; bull-trap; bully-buck; bully-*cock; bunco-steerer; bunco-*man; bung; bung-napper; bunter; burner; buster; buttock-and-file; button; buttoner; buz-*bloke; buz-cove; buz-faker; buzman; buzzer; buzzlock.
Canter (canting crew = generic for thieves, rogues, and beggars); Captain Sharp; carrier: cat-and-kitten nipper; chariot-buzzer; charley-pitcher; chaunting-cove; chive or (chiff) thief; chouse; chouser; christener; circling-boy; clank-*napper; clicker; clink-rigger; cloak-twitcher; clouter; cloy; cloyer; cly-filcher; cogger; collector; colt; cork; conveyancer; conveyor; coney-*catcher; counterfeit-crank; cover; coverer; crack; cracks-*man; crony; crook; cross-bite; cross-biter; cross-famker; crib-cracker; cross; cross-*cove; crossman; cross-mollisher; crow; cruiser; cunning-man; curtall; cut-purse; cutter.
Damber (Grose); damned soul; dancer; darkman's budge; dead-nap; deeker; deep-one; diddler; dimber-damber (Grose); ding-boy; dinger; dip; dipper; dipping-bloke; dive; diver; dog-buffer; dragsman; drag-*sneak; draw-latch; drop-cove; dropper; dromedary; drummer; drunken tinker; dubber; dudder; duffer; dummerer; dummy-hunter; dunaker.
