bagman

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bag·man

(băg′mən)

1. Slang A person who collects money, as for racketeers.

2. Chiefly British A traveling salesman.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

bagman

(ˈbæɡmən)

n, pl -men

1. (Professions) informal Brit a travelling salesman

2. (Professions) slang chiefly US a person who collects or distributes money for racketeers

3. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) informal chiefly Canadian a person who solicits money or subscriptions for a political party

4. (Historical Terms) history Austral a tramp or swagman, esp one on horseback

5. slang Also called: bagswinger Austral someone who takes money for a bookmaker

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

bag•man

(ˈbægˌmæn for 1, 3; -mən for 2 )

n., pl. -men (-ˌmɛn for 1; -mən for 2 )

1. Slang. a person who collects, carries, or distributes money gained by dishonest means.

2. Brit. Informal. traveling salesman.

3. Canadian. a political fund-raiser.

[1925–30 (definition 1)]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Noun	1.	bagman - a salesman who travels to call on customers commercial traveler, commercial traveller, roadman, traveling salesman, travelling salesman salesman - a man salesperson spokesperson, representative, interpreter, voice - an advocate who represents someone else's policy or purpose; "the meeting was attended by spokespersons for all the major organs of government" tallyman - one who sells goods on the installment plan
	2.	bagman - a racketeer assigned to collect or distribute payoff money racketeer - someone who commits crimes for profit (especially one who obtains money by fraud or extortion)

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References in classic literature ?

'Your health, Sir,' said the bagman with the lonely eye, bestowing an approving nod on Mr.

'I always like to hear a good argument,'continued the bagman,

'Should you?' was the only reply of the bagman, who continued to smoke with great vehemence.

If any bagman of that day could have caught sight of the little neck-or-nothing sort of gig, with a clay- coloured body and red wheels, and the vixenish, ill tempered, fast-going bay mare, that looked like a cross between a butcher's horse and a twopenny post-office pony, he would have known at once, that this traveller could have been no other than Tom Smart, of the great house of Bilson and Slum, Cateaton Street, City.

'Why,' replied the one-eyed bagman, 'it was observed to creak very much on the day of the wedding; but Tom Smart couldn't say for certain whether it was with pleasure or bodily infirmity.

'Except Tom's enemies,' replied the bagman. 'Some of 'em said Tom invented it altogether; and others said he was drunk and fancied it, and got hold of the wrong trousers by mistake before he went to bed.

'Yes, they were,' replied the bagman; 'very nice men indeed!'

View in context

He looked more than ever like a prosperous bagman. It is hard that a man's exterior should tally so little sometimes with his soul.

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- anything from a teacher of high morality to a bagman - who have won their little race.

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"I've got to walk over from Disham," he said, and in the heart of him could not help marveling at the pleasure which he derived from making a bagman in a train believe what he himself did not believe.

View in context

That is how Jesse Trefusis, a poor Manchester bagman, contrived to be come a plutocrat and gentleman of landed estate.

View in context

The world No.1 has a not-sosecret weapon in bagman Ricky Elliott who grew up less than a mile from Royal Portrush and estimates he's played the course more than 1000 times.