bene darkmans

English

Alternative forms

• been darkmans, bein darkmans

Phrase

bene darkmans

1. (archaic, UK, thieves' cant) Good night; a farewell said in the evening or nighttime.
   • 1665, Richard Head, Francis Kirkman, The English Rogue, part 1, page 46:

     Bien Darkmans then, Bouse Mort and Ken,
       The bien Coves bings awast,
     On Chates to trine by Rome-Coves dine,
       For his long lib at last.
     Bing'd out bien Morts and toure, and toure,
       Bing out of the Rome vile bine,
     And toure the Cove that cloyd your duds,
       Upon the Chates to trine.

   • 2011, Douglas Hulick, chapter 12, in Among Thieves:

     "Bene darkmans, Drothe," said Jelem. "I hear you've been looking for me."

   • 2015, Eve Yohalem, chapter 15, in Cast Off: The Strange Adventures of Petra de Winter and Bram Broen:

     “Think I'll look out from the foremast tonight, Mister Majoor,” Bram said. “Bene darkmans, O'Brian.”
     “Bene darkmans,” O'Brian said, yawning. He handed Bram the spyglass before shuffling off.

   • 2017, Jake Arnott, The Fatal Tree:

     But one darkmans, when the moon glimmed full and sharp over Drury, I spied him padding it home to his lodgings […] 'B-b-bene darkmans, Bess,' he called out […]

Anagrams

• been darkmans