namous

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

UK 19th century. Probably from Spanish vamos (we go) or vámonos (let's go). Possibly influenced by German nehmen (to take). Cognate with English vamoose.

Verb

namous (third-person singular simple present namouses, present participle namousing, simple past and past participle namoused)

  1. (obsolete, Britain, thieves' cant) To run away; to leave; to depart.
    • For quotations of use of this term, see Citations:namous.

Synonyms

Interjection

namous!

  1. (obsolete, Britain, thieves' cant) Look out! Beware!
    • 1851, Mayhew, Henry, “Gambling of Costermongers”, in London Labour and the London Poor, volume 1, page 17:
      One boy (of the party) is always on the look out, and even if a stranger should advance, the cry is given of "Namous" or "Kool Eslop." Instantly the money is whipped-up and pocketed, and the boys stand chattering and laughing together.

Synonyms

References

  • Farmer, John Stephen (1902) Slang and Its Analogues, volume 5, page 12
  • Eric Partridge, A Dictionary of the Underworld, London, Macmillan Co., 1949

Anagrams

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