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nap the regulars

Obsolete British criminal slang from the thieves' cant tradition, meaning to divide the stolen loot among the members of a criminal crew.

ˈnæp ðə ˈɹɛɡjəlɚz168 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🇬🇧 British & Irish slang
2 definitions
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UK
#1·Apr 28, 2026UK

Obsolete British criminal slang from the thieves' cant tradition, meaning to divide the stolen loot among the members of a criminal crew. Nap here means to take or seize, and regulars refers to the established shares owed to each person. Thieves' cant was a deliberate secret language used by criminals, beggars, and traveling people in 17th–19th century Britain to talk openly without being understood by outsiders.

Once they were clear of the city, they stopped to nap the regulars in a barn.
Origin: From British thieves' cant; nap meaning to take or steal, regulars meaning the standard shares of booty. Editorial expansion authored on Slangora (model-assisted, hedged).
For parents

"nap the regulars" means: Obsolete British criminal slang from the thieves' cant tradition, meaning to divide the stolen loot among the members of a criminal crew. Na.... This is informal slang, common in casual speech, texting and social media, but not appropriate for school work, applications or professional settings. There is no real cause for concern in itself; it is everyday peer vocabulary. If your child uses it, a light comment about audience and register is usually enough — no need to escalate. Context, more than the word, tells you whether to follow up.

For ESL learners

"nap the regulars" means: Obsolete British criminal slang from the thieves' cant tradition, meaning to divide the stolen loot among the members of a criminal crew. Na.... Register: informal slang, fine in casual conversation, texting and social media but not in academic essays, business writing or formal speech. Note the regional or dialect label (Obsolete) — usage may sound odd outside that variety. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word

Cluster: criminal
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UK
#2·Apr 27, 2026UK

(UK, slang, obsolete) To divide up the booty.

Cluster: general
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For specific readers

"nap the regulars" means: Obsolete British criminal slang from the thieves' cant tradition, meaning to divide the stolen loot among the members of a criminal crew. Na.... This is informal slang, common in casual speech, texting and social media, but not appropriate for school work, applications or professional settings. There is no real cause for concern in itself; it is everyday peer vocabulary. If your child uses it, a light comment about audience and register is usually enough — no need to escalate. Context, more than the word, tells you whether to follow up.

Why is this section here?

Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.

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🇬🇧About British & Irish slang slang

UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.

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