gombeen

noun, adj — 4 senses

gombeen

noun

/ɡɒmˈbiːn/

Etymology Borrowed from Irish gaimbín (“monetary interest”).

1

Archaic Usury.

2

Ireland, Historical A moneylender during the Great Famine.

It was said by some that he had been a moneylender back in Ireland; a ‘gombeen’ in their slang: a hated figure.2002, Joseph O'Connor, Star of the Sea, Vintage, published 2003, page xix:

3

Ireland, Slang A mean, underhanded, corrupt person. Usually applied to politicians.

"Could you give me two ounces of butter?" "Well, I don't know. We sell butter usually by the weight half pound or a pound." "Do you sell quarter pounds?" "Well, I think so." "Could you give me half a quarter pound?" "Yes." "Half a quarter pound then." Sebastian watching him. O you sly gombeen man. The backs of these stores, most sordid places in the world. You stupid, intolerable oaf.1955, J P Donleavy, The Ginger Man, France, published 1955 (France), page 108:

Derived terms: gombeenism, gombeenman

gombeen

adj

Etymology Borrowed from Irish gaimbín (“monetary interest”).

1

Ireland Corrupt, underhanded.

They were talking gombeen politics.

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.