Autem
Cant for a church — root of 'autem mort' (a wedded woman) and 'autem diver' (church-thief).
Definitions
An 'autem diver' — a pickpocket who worked the crowds inside churches, dipping pockets during the service.
An 'autem mort' — a married woman, married being a thing done in the autem.
A church, in the canting tongue; the place of worship and of weddings, which gave rise to several compounds.
Autem In A Sentence
Origin & Usage
Recorded by Harman (1566) and in later glossaries (B.E. 1699, Grose 1785). 'Autem' for church anchors the compounds 'autem mort' (married woman) and 'autem diver' (church pickpocket); its further origin is uncertain.
People Also Ask
What does autem mean in thieves' cant?
A church — the canting word recorded by Harman (1566), the root of 'autem mort' and 'autem diver'.
What is an autem diver?
A pickpocket who worked church congregations, dipping pockets while heads were bowed in prayer.
Why was a married woman an autem mort?
Because she was wed in the autem (church); the marriage gave her the name.
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