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Wide boy

Posted by Gary Martin on June 23, 2008 at 08:36

In Reply to: Wide boy posted by ESC on June 22, 2008 at 21:57:

: : : I am curious about the derivation of the British term 'wide boy' in the sense of a latter day spiv.

: : This term was lodged in my memory as relating to the wide-lapelled 'teddy-boy' suits, favoured by spivs, like the Flash Harry character that George Cole played in the St. Trinians films.

: : Apparently not. The OED lists one of the slang meanings of 'wide' as:

: : "Wide-awake, cute; shrewd, sharp-witted; (dishonestly) cunning or knowledgeable; skilled in sharp practice; engaging in shady dealings."

: : and puts that as the source of 'wide boy'.

: What is a spiv?

Sorry, I didn't realize that word hadn't travelled. Spivs are small-time crooks, who live on their wits - not quite breaking the law but bending it as far as it will go. They are usually stereotyped as wearing sharp suits, hence the speculation that 'spiv' derives from 'spiffy' (smart).

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