spiv (n.)

"小偷骗子，只要不涉及诚实的工作，他就会做任何事情"，1934年，英国俚语，可能可以追溯到19世纪末，与 spiff（参见 spiffy）在其各种意义中有关。穿着花哨是小偷的特征。

The spiv reached his apotheosis during World War II and the succeeding years, when the disrupted economic conditions allowed ample scope for unofficial trading (a pair of nylons here, a few packets of cigarettes there) and other petty crime. He became a stock figure in the English social comedy, represented on screen by such stereotypes as 'Flash Harry' (played by George Cole) in the St. Trinian's films and Pte. Walker in Dad's Army. [Ayto, "20th Century Words"]

小偷在第二次世界大战和随后的几年中达到了巅峰，当时破坏性的经济条件为非官方贸易（这里有一双尼龙袜，那里有几包香烟）和其他小罪行提供了充足的空间。他成为英国社交喜剧中的固定角色，在屏幕上由如《圣特里尼安学院》电影中的“Flash Harry”（由乔治·科尔饰演）和 Dad's Army 中的 Pte. Walker 等刻板印象所代表。[Ayto，“20世纪词汇”]