German Synonyms.—Fuchs (= fox: an allusion to the ruddy hue of gold pieces); fuxig or fuxern = golden, red; fuchsmelochener (= goldsmith); gips or gyps (Viennese thieves’, from the Latin, gypsum); hora (= ready-money: from the Hebrew heren); kall (Han: especially small change: from Heb. kal = lowly light); kis, kies, kiss (applied both to money in general and the receptacle or purse in which it is carried); lowe, love (Han.); mepaie (from the Fr., payer) mesumme, linke mesumme (= counterfeit money); moos (from Heb., mëo = a little stone); pich, picht, or pech; staub (= dust). 1599. Shakspeare, Henry V., Act ii. Chorus. These corrupted men ... have for the gilt of France (O guilt, indeed) Confirmed conspiracy. 1714. Memoirs of John Hall (4th ed.), p. 9. And from thence conducted (provided he has gilt) over the way to Hell. 1885. Daily News, 25 May, p. 3, c. 1. Disputatious like mobs grouped together to discuss whether Charrington or Crowder had the most gilt. 2. subs. (old).—A thief; a pick-lock; also gilt- or rum-dubber, gilter, etc. 1669. Nicker Nicked in Harl. Misc. (ed. Park), ii., 108 (given in list of names of thieves). 1673. Character of a Quack Astrologer. For that purpose he maintains as strict a correspondence with gilts and lifters. 1676. Warning for Housekeepers, p. 3. The gilter is one that hath all sorts of picklocks and false keys. 1680. Cotton, Complete Gamester, p. 333. Shoals of muffs, hectors, setters, gilts, pads, biters, etc. ... may all pass under the general appellation of snobs. 1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. 1882. McCabe, New York, ch. xxxiv., 509. Gilt-dubber, a hotel thief. 3. (thieves’).—Formerly a pick-lock or skeleton key; now a crow-bar. For synonyms, see Jemmy. 1671. R. Head, English Rogue, Pt. 1, ch. v., p. 50 (1874). Gilt, a pick-lock. 1724. E. Coles, Eng. Dict. Gilt, c. a pick-lock. 1839. W. H. Ainsworth, Jack Sheppard, p. 183 (ed. 1840). We shall have the whole village upon us while you’re striking the jigger. Use the gilt, man! To take the gilt off the gingerbread, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To destroy an illusion; to discount heavily. 1884. Hawley Smart, From Post to Finish, p. 171. You see we had a rattling good year all round last, bar the Dancing Master. He took the gilt off the gingerbread considerably. Gilt-dubber, see gilt, sense 2. Gilt-edged, adj. (American).—First-class; the best of its kind; a latter-day superlative. For synonyms, see A1 and Fizzing. c. 1889. Chicago Tribune (quoted in Slang, Jargon, and Cant). He’s a gilt-edged idiot to play the game. 1891. Standard, 18 June, p. 2, c. 1. ‘Gilt-edged mutton’ is the latest of glorified and ‘boomed’ American products. 1891. Tit Bits, 8 Aug., p. 286, c. 2. Another accomplishment, peculiar to the gilt-edged academy, is learning to eat asparagus, oranges, grapes, etc.