bagman
Meaning
A person who collects and distributes money, especially for a political organization or illicit activity.
(Dated) A traveling salesman, especially one who carries samples in a bag.
Structure
Usage
He acted as the party's bagman, collecting cash donations from various lobbyists.
In the 19th century, a bagman would travel from town to town selling fabrics and trinkets.
The corruption scandal revealed a network of bagmen used to funnel bribes to officials.
Etymology
The compound word "bagman" is a transparent combination of two common English nouns. The first element, "bag," traces back to Old Norse "baggi," meaning a bundle or pack, which entered Middle English. The second element, "man," from Old English "mann," simply denotes a person. Literally, a "bagman" is a "man with a bag." This literal sense gave rise to the original, now largely historical, meaning of a traveling salesman or commercial traveler who carried samples or goods in a bag. Over time, the association with carrying a bag for money, particularly for covert or illicit collections and distributions, became the dominant and more specific modern sense, especially in political and criminal contexts.
Analysis
- bag: From Old Norse 'baggi' (bundle, pack), functioning as the object or tool associated with the person. - man: From Old English 'mann' (person, human being), functioning as the agent noun suffix denoting the person performing the role.