nib-cove

An obsolete piece of British criminal slang for a gentleman, used historically in the thieves' cant subculture. 'Nib' was a cant term for something fine or genteel, while 'cove' was a common cant word for a man or fellow. The combined term suggests a man of high social standing, likely used by the criminal underclass when referring to potential targets or social superiors. It is entirely archaic and would only appear in historical texts or fiction set in Georgian or Regency-era Britain.