FAST AND LOOSE  , a See also:

• CHEATING

cheating See also:

• GAME

game played at fairs by sharpers . A strap, usually in the See also:

• FORM (Lat. forma)

form of a See also:

• BELT (a word common to Teutonic languages, the Old Ger. form being bale, from which the Lat. balteus probably derived)
• BELT, THOMAS (1832-1878)

belt, is rolled or doubled up with a See also:

• LOOP

loop in the centre, and laid edgewise on a table . The swindler then bets that the loop cannot be caught with a stick or skewer as he unrolls the belt . As this looks to be easy to do the See also:

• BET

bet is often taken, but the sharper unrolls the belt in such a manner as to make the catching of the loop practically impossible . Centuries ago it was much practised by See also:

• GIPSIES, or GYPSIES

gipsies, a circumstance alluded to by See also:

• SHAKESPEARE, WILLIAM (1564-1616)

Shakespeare in See also:

• ANTHONY, SAINT
• ANTHONY, SUSAN BROWNELL (1820-1906)

Anthony and See also:

• CLEOPATRA

Cleopatra (iv .