Abraham man

== English == === Alternative forms === Abraham-man, Abrahamman, Abram man, Abram-man, Abramman === Etymology === From patients claiming, genuinely or not, to be temporarily discharged from the Abraham ward at Bethlem Royal Hospital (also known as Bedlam), a psychiatric hospital in London, for the purpose of begging. Possibly an allusion to a story in Luke 16, in which the beggar Lazarus ends up in Abraham's bosom. First use appears c. 1561 in The Fraternity of Vagabonds (1561) by John Awdely. === Pronunciation === (US) IPA(key): /ˈeɪ.bɹəˌhæm mæn/, /ˈeɪ.bɹə.həm mæn/ === Noun === Abraham man (plural Abraham men) (UK, thieves' cant, obsolete) A mentally ill beggar. (by extension) Any beggar who pretends to be ill, physically or mentally, to obtain alms. For more quotations using this term, see Citations:Abraham man. ==== Synonyms ==== ==== Derived terms ==== === Further reading === [Francis Grose] (1788), “Abraham man”, in A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, 2nd edition, London: […] S. Hooper, […], →OCLC. [Francis] Grose [et al.] (1811), “Abraham man”, in Lexicon Balatronicum. A Dictionary of Buckish Slang, University Wit, and Pickpocket Eloquence. […], London: […] C. Chappell, […], →OCLC. Albert Barrère and Charles G[odfrey] Leland, compilers and editors (1889–1890), “Abraham man”, in A Dictionary of Slang, Jargon & Cant […], volume I (A–K), Edinburgh: […] The Ballantyne Press, →OCLC, pages 7–8. John S[tephen] Farmer, compiler (1890), “Abraham-Cove, Abraham-Man, Abram-Cove, Abram-Man, Tom of Bedlam’s Man, or Bedlam Beggar, subs.”, in Slang and Its Analogues Past and Present. […], volume I, [London: […] Thomas Poulter and Sons] […], →OCLC, pages 9–10. Abraham-men on Wikipedia.Wikipedia