Idioms

artful dodger

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artful dodger

A rogue or miscreant who avoids getting in trouble for their crimes, mischief, or bad behavior through crafty or ingenious means. Taken from the name of a clever pickpocket in Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. She's always causing mischief, but she's such an artful dodger that she always finds a way to get out of trouble. He's an artful dodger, that one. The police can never get any charges to stick to him. I don't know why you're going into business with Joe—that guy's always struck me as an artful dodger.

See also: artful, dodger

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

Artful Dodger

a sly person, especially one involved in dubious or criminal activities. It was the nickname of Jack Dawkins, a young pickpocket in Charles Dickens's Oliver Twist. The character survives in the stage and movie musical Oliver!, which was based on the Dickens novel, but the phrase as applied to a “sneaky Pete” is now rarely if ever heard. “Dodger” in the sense of evading danger inspired the name of the Brooklyn (now Los Angeles) baseball team; in its early years in Brooklyn, the team was the “Trolley Dodgers.” Brooklyn had many streetcar lines, and to play in the streets required youngsters to dodge streetcars, and “trolley dodger” became the slang term for anyone from that borough.

See also: artful, dodger

Endangered Phrases by Steven D. Price Copyright © 2011 by Steven D. Price

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References in periodicals archive

is coming to Dublin for Christmas starring The Artful Dodger, Nancy, Fagin and little orphan Oliver, on his way to becoming the adopted son of the kindly Mr Brownlow.

WIN family tickets at the National Concert Hall in Dublin to see OLIVER!

IN THE GANG: Artful Dodger and the boys from Oliver performa song

Review: OLIVER! Birkenhead Operatic Society, Liverpool Empire

The crew of the Artful Dodger laughed, cried and shouted their greetings in Norwegian...

NAUTICAL BUT NICE; Able seaman BOB SHIELDS is on deck for duty as three boatloads of Norwegian beauties head for a Scots sailing adventure

Actor Jack Wild, pictured with his wife Claire Harding, has been left unable to speak after treatment for mouth cancer, and (right) the youthful Jack as the Artful Dodger in the 1968 film Oliver.

Lifestyle left me a walking time bomb for mouth cancer; HEALTH: Actor blames smoking and drinking for illness that left him speechless

Jamie Moore, ten, is the Artful Dodger. Jamie attends the Whitley Bay Saturday Stage School where he recently played Nicholas in Nicholas Nickleby, and has taken leading roles in school plays, gang show productions and with the Heaton Operatic Society.

Picking a winning show

PICK A POCKET OR TWO: From left, Dovedale primary school pupils Renos Georgiou as Bill Sykes, Alex Walker as Fagan, Aimee Hill as Nancy, David Williams as Oliver and Michael Fishgold as The Artful Dodger Picture: MARTIN BIRCHALL; ORIGINAL: Mark Lester in the film Oliver

Consider yourself lucky to have gone

Q I CAN remember reading not so long ago that Jack Wild, the child star who played the Artful Dodger in 1968's Oliver, sadly died of cancer.

He will appear alongside fellow Coventry City manager and TV personality Ron Atkinson and surprise guest Jack Wild, the original Artful Dodger in the classic film Oliver.

Jimmy the star guest at charity party; EX-SKY BLUES MANAGER GIVES UP GOLFING TRIP TO SUPPORT NSPCC EVENT

Running from December 13 until January 19, it follows Oliver's journey through life during which he meets Bill Sikes, the Artful Dodger and Fagin.

Theatre fans will beg for more

Artful Dodger featuring Melanie Blatt Twenty Four Seven; Bob The Builder Mambo No5; Macy Gray featuring Erykah Badu Sweet Baby; Fatboy Slim Ya Mama Song For Shelter; Faithless Muhammad Ali

Q I REMEMBER reading that Jack Wild, the child star who played the Artful Dodger in 1968's Oliver!, sadly died of cancer.

Heading the cast is 11-year-old Jonathon Clarke as Oliver Twist, 12-year- old Jamie Barnard as the Artful Dodger and Dexter the dog as Bullseye.

Pupils shine in criminal underworld

The members of Liberty are all set to storm the charts with their debut single, Thinking It Over, which was produced by Artful Dodger's Pete Devereux.

Popstar wannabes get own chance of fame; TELLY

GARAGE act Artful Dodger will collaborate with Madonna.

Off The Record : Artful lads' promise to Madonna

AN Artful Dodger of seven waits for his Fagin to distract a shop assistant before he calmly walks off with a tray of diamond rings.

THE RINGER; Fagin gang use 'Artful Dodger' in jewel theft

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