--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The cheaper the crook, the gaudier the…" description: "\"The cheaper the crook, the gaudier the patter.\" — Dashiell Hammett" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da5/dashiell-hammett-3863_cheaper_the-cheaper-the-crook-the-gaudier-the-pa_2167723.png" --- # The cheaper the crook, the gaudier the patter. ![“The cheaper the crook, the gaudier the patter.” quote by Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da5/dashiell-hammett-3863_cheaper_the-cheaper-the-crook-the-gaudier-the-pa_2167723.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da5/dashiell-hammett-3863_cheaper_the-cheaper-the-crook-the-gaudier-the-pa_2167723.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da5/dashiell-hammett-3863_cheaper_the-cheaper-the-crook-the-gaudier-the-pa_2167723.png) > “The cheaper the crook, the gaudier the patter.” [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Low‑cost criminals use flashy language to distract. **In simple terms:** Cheap crooks hide behind flashy talk. Key Takeaway Beware deceptive appearances. Themes crime language deception Mood skeptical cautious Type literary observational When to use this quote - media analysis - crime fiction - law enforcement training Key Concepts Crook gaudy patter cheap detective work investigation law enforcement Questions to Reflect On - How does language influence perception of danger? - What signs reveal true intent? A Different Perspective Slick talk can mask serious threats. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crook/) [Crooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crooks/) ## Related quotes > [Ladies and Gentlemen, Hillary Clinton is a crook.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-boortz/ladies-and-gentlemen-hillary-clinton-is-a-crook/) [Neal Boortz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-boortz/) > [Well, I'm not a crook.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/well-i-m-not-a-crook/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [A crook is a crook, and there's something healthy about his frankness in the matter. But any guy who pretends he is enforcing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-capone/a-crook-is-a-crook-and-there-s-something-healthy-about-his-frankness-2/) [Al Capone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-capone/) > [I just want you to know you aren't going to church with a crook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-ebbers/i-just-want-you-to-know-you-aren-t-going-to-church-with-a-crook/) [Bernard Ebbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-ebbers/) > [ Thurst \[thrust\] out nature with a croche \[crook\], yet woll she styll runne back agayne. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-taverner/thurst-thrust-out-nature-with-a-croche-crook-yet-woll-she-styll-runne/) Richard Taverner > [You can't get rich in politics unless you're a crook.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/you-can-t-get-rich-in-politics-unless-you-re-a-crook/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [I don't believe Spiro Agnew is a crook. If he was a crook, he'd still be in office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-corey/i-don-t-believe-spiro-agnew-is-a-crook-if-he-was-a-crook-he-d-still/) [Irwin Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-corey/) > [I'm not a crook. I've earned everything I've got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/i-m-not-a-crook-i-ve-earned-everything-i-ve-got/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [There are people who say, 'Oh, he's a crook.' But I'm not a crook.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-m-brant/there-are-people-who-say-oh-he-s-a-crook-but-i-m-not-a-crook/) [Peter M. Brant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-m-brant/) > [Me? Well, I don't know, I must go to a dictionary and learn what a crook is. I've never been a crook.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-zuma/me-well-i-don-t-know-i-must-go-to-a-dictionary-and-learn-what-a-crook/) [Jacob Zuma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-zuma/) > [“She stared at him dully and said: “I don’t like crooks, and even if I did, I wouldn’t like crooks that are stool-pigeons, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/she-stared-at-him-dully-and-said-i-don-t-like-crooks-and-even-if-i/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [Prince Charles has his foibles, but he is not a crook, not a bully, and not a hypocrite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-junor/prince-charles-has-his-foibles-but-he-is-not-a-crook-not-a-bully-and/) [Penny Junor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-junor/) > [You give me electric chair. I no afraid of that chair! You're one of capitalists. You is crook man too. Put me in electric…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giuseppe-zangara/you-give-me-electric-chair-i-no-afraid-of-that-chair-you-re-one-of/) Giuseppe Zangara > [It is not the crook in modern business that we fear, but the honest man who doesn't know what he is doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-d-young/it-is-not-the-crook-in-modern-business-that-we-fear-but-the-honest/) [Owen D. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-d-young/) > [It's very hard to uphold individual liberty when the person you're representing is often a crook.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-s-rakoff/it-s-very-hard-to-uphold-individual-liberty-when-the-person-you-re/) [Jed S. Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-s-rakoff/) ## More by Dashiell Hammett > [It's sometimes better to pretend I don't hear the sound of somebody in the nearby woods with a shotgun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/it-s-sometimes-better-to-pretend-i-don-t-hear-the-sound-of-somebody/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [“This damned burg's getting me. If I don't get away soon I'll be going blood-simple like the natives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/this-damned-burg-s-getting-me-if-i-don-t-get-away-soon-i-ll-be-going/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [“You know Quinn?" Macaulay asked me. "Ten minutes ago I was putting him to bed." Macaulay grinned. "I hope you keep his acquaintance like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/you-know-quinn-macaulay-asked-me-ten-minutes-ago-i-was-putting-him-to/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [“Gutman smiled benignly at him and said: “Well, Wilmer, I’m sorry indeed to lose you, and I want you to know that I couldn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/gutman-smiled-benignly-at-him-and-said-well-wilmer-i-m-sorry-indeed/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [“...I guess I can put two and two together." "Sometimes the answer's four," I said, "and sometimes it's twenty-two...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/i-guess-i-can-put-two-and-two-together-sometimes-the-answer-s-four-i/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [Nora: "How do you feel?" Nick: "Terrible. I must've gone to bed sober.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/nora-how-do-you-feel-nick-terrible-i-must-ve-gone-to-bed-sober/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [A lot of fancier yarns come from people trying to tell the truth. It’s not easy once you’re out of the habit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/a-lot-of-fancier-yarns-come-from-people-trying-to-tell-the-truth-it-s/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [Three times I have been mistaken for a prohibition agent, but never had any trouble clearing myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/three-times-i-have-been-mistaken-for-a-prohibition-agent-but-never/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [Listen, Dundy, it's been a long time since I burst into tears because a policeman didn't like me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/listen-dundy-it-s-been-a-long-time-since-i-burst-into-tears-because-a/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [“...What do people think about my staying with Harrison with him chasing everything that's hot and hollow?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/what-do-people-think-about-my-staying-with-harrison-with-him-chasing/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [“Don't be so damned patronizing. Your performance so far has been a little less than dazzling." "I didn't mean no harm," I said and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/don-t-be-so-damned-patronizing-your-performance-so-far-has-been-a/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [...What disturbed him was the discovery that in sensibly ordering his affairs he had got out of step, and not into step, with Life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/what-disturbed-him-was-the-discovery-that-in-sensibly-ordering-his/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [I haven't any sort of plans for the future but I reckon things will work out in some manner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/i-haven-t-any-sort-of-plans-for-the-future-but-i-reckon-things-will/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [To get what he wanted, a man had to give other people what they wanted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/to-get-what-he-wanted-a-man-had-to-give-other-people-what-they-wanted/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [He felt like somebody had taken the lid off life and let him see the works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/he-felt-like-somebody-had-taken-the-lid-off-life-and-let-him-see-the/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) [Explore all 119 Dashiell Hammett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) ## More Cheaper quotes > [The machines need to get faster. They need to get cheaper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-machines-need-to-get-faster-they-need-to-get-cheaper/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [If you're angry, you don't have to write a poem dealing with the cause of your anger. But it needs to be an angry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/if-you-re-angry-you-don-t-have-to-write-a-poem-dealing-with-the-cause/) [Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/) > [For many oppositional movements, the Internet, while providing the opportunity to distribute information more quickly and cheaper, may have actually made their struggle more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeny-morozov/for-many-oppositional-movements-the-internet-while-providing-the/) [Evgeny Morozov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeny-morozov/) > [ We have the ability to take him \[President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez\] out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-robertson/we-have-the-ability-to-take-him-president-of-venezuela-hugo-chavez/) [Pat Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-robertson/) > [The smaller & cheaper the pleasure, ¦the more richer you are!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/biman-gandhi/the-smaller-cheaper-the-pleasure-the-more-richer-you-are/) [Biman Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/biman-gandhi/) > [I don't really pay too much attention to designers, I know what I like and I just try to find it, and I always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-cosentino/i-don-t-really-pay-too-much-attention-to-designers-i-know-what-i-like/) [Bethany Cosentino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-cosentino/) > [There's a myth that free-to-play is cheaper than a $60 game. It's just elastic. For some users, it winds up being a lot more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-lasky/there-s-a-myth-that-free-to-play-is-cheaper-than-a-60-game-it-s-just/) [Mitch Lasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-lasky/) > [I have a constant kind of soundtrack going on at all times. I almost always have a song in my head. I'm very musically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-davie/i-have-a-constant-kind-of-soundtrack-going-on-at-all-times-i-almost/) [Erin Davie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-davie/) > [ \[On President Bush's plan to get to Mars in 10 years\] Stupid. Robots would do a better job and be much cheaper because you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/on-president-bush-s-plan-to-get-to-mars-in-10-years-stupid-robots/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [I thought to spend my declining years writing poetry and teaching - but that won't pay the Bergdorf's bill. I think I'll move to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/i-thought-to-spend-my-declining-years-writing-poetry-and-teaching-but/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [You don't make houses cheaper by making them more expensive to build.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-baillieu/you-don-t-make-houses-cheaper-by-making-them-more-expensive-to-build/) Ted Baillieu > [I buy my produce at the local farmer's market, which is actually cheaper than shopping at the grocery store.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-getty/i-buy-my-produce-at-the-local-farmer-s-market-which-is-actually/) [Anna Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-getty/) > [We've begun to long for the pitter-patter of little feet - so we bought a dog. Well, it's cheaper, and you get more feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-rudner/we-ve-begun-to-long-for-the-pitter-patter-of-little-feet-so-we-bought/) [Rita Rudner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-rudner/) > [Used books are the sluts of the literary world. Passed around from person to person, spreading their pages for anyone, getting cheaper and cheaper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/used-books-are-the-sluts-of-the-literary-world-passed-around-from/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [Try to find if something out there is similar. If it's already being done, now you need to find out if you can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-johnson/try-to-find-if-something-out-there-is-similar-if-it-s-already-being/) [Cameron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-johnson/) Browse all 411 Cheaper quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The cheaper the crook, the gaudier the patter.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dashiell Hammett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/the-cheaper-the-crook-the-gaudier-the-patter/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cheaper" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/the-cheaper-the-crook-the-gaudier-the-patter/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da5/dashiell-hammett-3863_cheaper_the-cheaper-the-crook-the-gaudier-the-pa_2167723.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da5/dashiell-hammett-3863_cheaper_the-cheaper-the-crook-the-gaudier-the-pa_2167723.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da5/dashiell-hammett-3863_cheaper_the-cheaper-the-crook-the-gaudier-the-pa_2167723.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The cheaper the crook, the gaudier the patter.” — Dashiell Hammett", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Dashiell Hammett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The cheaper the crook, the gaudier...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/the-cheaper-the-crook-the-gaudier-the-patter/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/the-cheaper-the-crook-the-gaudier-the-patter/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```