Meaning of peaky blinder | Babel Free

Definitions

1. A member of the Peaky Blinders gang. They operated in Birmingham from the end of the 19th century until after the First World War. Gang members had a distinctive appearance: close-cropped hair, bell-bottomed trousers, peaked caps, and a white scarf knotted at the throat.
   historical
2. A peaked cap like that worn by a peaky blinder, especially when worn with the peak pulled down to the side of the head.
   archaic
3. Any ruffian or street gang member.

Examples

“They return from camp with new boots, shirt, stockings and money; part of which is spent in excess on their first night's return after training and part goes to purchase a pair of “peaky blinder” trousers.”

“In Birmingham the 'peaky-blinder' and 'slogger' gangs were particularly notorious.”

“There is a reference in the Birmingham Daily Gazette to a 'hooligan outrage' in Newton Row in January 1907 - which had formerly been a peaky blinder stronghold - when three men of the peaky blinder type savagely attacked and robbed a businessman late at night, but there appears to be no mention of assaults or fights by peaky blinders after that..”

“As Arthur Matthison recalled (1937:63), the peaky blinder wore: Bell-bottomed trousers secured by a buckle belt, hob-nailed boots, a jacket of sorts, a gaudy scarf and a billy-cock hat with a long elongated brim.”

“So, in London, birds of a feather must flock together, willy nilly, silk hat and frock coat must go with white gloves and brown sables, “peaky blinder and “ choker " must associate with crop fringed hair, ear curls, and rakish three feathered hat.”

“You could practically hear the rusty wheels whirring round beneath his black peaky blinder.”

“The peak of the peaky-blinder was usually slit open and pennies or razor-blades or pieces of slate inserted and stitched up again. The caps, peaky-blinders, were used in fighting to be whipped off the head and swiped across the opponent's eyes, momentarily blinding them or slashing the cheeks.”

“Probably the "hooligan" of London need not cost more to redeem than the " ike " of Manchester or the "peaky blinder" of Birmingham; the differences in expense lie in the method.”

“Hundreds of girls and youths, mainly of the “ peaky blinder ” type, parade the streets—sometimes half a dozen arm-in-arm across the pavements.”

“Nights on the district were nightmares. Peaky-blinder warrens down which the police daren't venture, except in twos; drunken gamp midwives under the bed, and often a race betwen half-an-inch of a guttering candle and a dawn two hours away, the patient indulging in a P.P.H., little or no water and no one to send for help.”

“In our suburban retreats, less disturbed by Peaky pranks, though now and again hedges, fences, and flower beds testify to a visit, we are too apt to think it is no concern of ours, or to assert that, as regards Peaky Blinders at any rate, " I am not my brother's keeper".”

“In other cities similar gangs were known by different names. In Birmingham they were called “Peaky Blinders' or 'Sloggers', while in Manchester and Salford they were known and feared as 'Scuttlers' and later as 'Ikes' or 'Ikey Lads'.”

CEFR level