English

Verb

come the raw prawn (conjugates with come)

1. (Australia, informal, intransitive) To attempt to deceive or impose upon.
   • 1951, Dymphna Cusack, Florence James, 1957, Come In Spinner, page 306,

     “ […] Coupla bastards come the raw prawn over me on the last lap up from Melbourne and I done me last bob at Swy.”

   • 2003, Glen Conrad, Walk a Mile in My Shoes, page 300,

     “That′s bullshit Norbert. I brought you in to get the straight dope direct from your mate the General. So don′t come the raw prawn with me, matey.”

   • 2007, Peter Yeldham, Barbed Wire and Roses, unnumbered page,

     Until this dag in a shiny new uniform comes the raw prawn and says I didn′t salute him with proper respect.

References

1. ↑ "don′t come the raw prawn", entry in 2007, Eric Partridge, Tom Dalzell, Terry Victor, The Concise New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English, page 211.