crossman

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See also: Crossman

English

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Etymology

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From cross +‎ -man; perhaps related to on the cross (dishonestly).

Noun

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crossman (plural crossmen)

  1. (slang, obsolete) A thief, forger, or other criminal.
    • 1848, Ned Buntline, The Mysteries and Miseries of New York: A Story of Real Life, Part 1, New York: Benford & Co., page 33:
      There is a house in Cherry street, not far from Catherine Market [] . A little to the north of its door stands an old-time tree; and for many a year it has been known to the “crossmen” and “knucks” of the town as “Jack Circle's watering place” and “fence.”

References

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  • John Camden Hotten (1873) The Slang Dictionary

French

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Etymology

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Pseudo-anglicism, derived from cross +‎ -man

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /kʁɔs.man/
  • Audio:(file)

Noun

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crossman m (plural crossmen or crossmans, feminine crosswoman)

  1. (male) cross-country runner

See also

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