Abram

/ˈeɪbrəm/ noun

Definition

An old British slang term for a beggar or vagrant, or sometimes a sham/pretense (as in 'to sham Abraham').

Etymology

Possibly from the Biblical Abraham, or from a character in a 16th-century poem. The exact origin is debated, but the term was used in Elizabethan theater and slang.

Kelly Says

Shakespeare's audiences would have recognized 'abram' as insider slang for fake beggars who pretended to be insane—medieval con artists had their own secret vocabulary!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.