Author: G. A. Wilkes

Cited by

• Peter Carey (1)
  • IN: Illywhacker (1985) Fiction, Australian
    EPIGRAPH: illywhacker A professional trickster, esp. operating at country shows [derived by Baker (1945:138) from spieler] 1941 Kylie Tennant The Battlers 183-4: An illywacker is someone who is putting a confidence trick over, selling imitation diamond tie-pins, new-style patent razors or infallible "tonics"... "living on the cockies" by such devices, and following the shows because money always flows freest at show time. A man who "wacks the illy" can be almost anything, but two of these particular illywackers were equipped with a dart game. 1943 Baker 40: Illywhacker A trickster or spieler. 1975 Hal Porter The Extra 15: Social climber, moron, peter-tickler, eeler-spee, illy-wacker.
    FROM: A Dictionary of Australian Colloquialisms, (1978), NULL, Australia