the verb gank

[GEORGE THOMPSON]

Becca Greenhill writes:  I have never heard the verb "gank" used to
describe the act of borrowing or stealing.  I have several friends in
Northeastern KY and Southern WV who use the word "cabbage" in that
way.  "Who cabbaged my lighter?"

"Cabbage" = "Steal" is quite an old word.  I had noted a source from
1841, and was chagined to see that RHHDAS listed it from 1806.  As I
recall, it originally was used by tailors to refer to stealing pieces
of cloth.  This was the sense of my 1841 source.

GAT