spiv

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spiv

(spĭv)

n. Chiefly British Slang

1. One, usually unemployed, who lives by one's wits.

2. One who shirks work or responsibility; a slacker.

[Dialectal spif, dandified, dandy.]

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.

spiv

(spɪv)

slang Brit a person who makes a living by underhand dealings or swindling; black marketeer

[C20: back formation from dialect spiving smart; compare spiffy, spiffing]

ˈspivvy adj

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

spiv

(spɪv)

n.

Brit. Informal. a petty criminal, esp. a black marketeer, racetrack tout, or petty thief.

[1885–90; back formation from dial. spiving smart; perhaps akin to spiffy]

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Noun

spiv - a person without employment who makes money by various dubious schemes; goes about smartly dressed and having a good time

Britain, Great Britain, U.K., UK, United Kingdom, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - a monarchy in northwestern Europe occupying most of the British Isles; divided into England and Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland; `Great Britain' is often used loosely to refer to the United Kingdom

do-nothing, idler, layabout, loafer, bum - person who does no work; "a lazy bum"

Translations

spiv

[spɪv] N (Brit) → chanchullero m, caballero m de industria; (= slacker) → gandul m; (= black marketeer) → estraperlista mf

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

spiv

[ˈspɪv] n (British) → fricoteur m

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

spiv

n (Brit inf) → schmieriger Typ (inf)

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

spiv

[spɪv] n (Brit) (fam) → imbroglione m

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

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References in periodicals archive ?

Wrth edrych ar wefan Maes B, mae'n ymddangos fod cwestiwn Manon (Jaunty Spiv) ddigon teg, dwy ferch amlwg sydd yna - Heledd o'r grwp HMS Morris a Katie o'r grwp Chroma.Felly beth am anghofio am yr iawn a'r anghyfiawn, y poblogaidd a'r llai poblogaidd.

Codi dau fys... a wedyn gweithredu, dyna'r ffordd; BARN

He also said: "I see Green as a billionaire spiv, a billionaire spiv who should never have received a knighthood, a billionaire spiv who has shamed British capitalism, and the least we can do today is to make our views clear and strong."

MPS BACK BID TO STRIP BHS GREEN OF KNIGHTHOOD

SPIV participated with SPIV HD, the new and patented measuring technique for shock pulse measurement on rotating machinery.

SPM instrument wins Scandinavian First maintenance service award 2012

Spiv, a Denver and Olympia trio of guys named Chris, will play at John Henry's tonight.

Elvis, McCartney and three guys named Chris

The recent film Face (Antonia Bird, 1997) reworks conventions of the spiv film, and can be understood as an "urban heritage" film which emphasizes a working-class narrative, albeit one that is white and masculine.

The new face of British Heritage

"He must be in a cellar or something," Gobby reasoned, and the gravely voice from the pipe said: "That spiv will die of tuberculosis at Christmas." Gobby shuddered - he was coming down with a bad chest.

TALES FROM THE PAST

Children can help Constable Bluebottle track down the "spiv" selling contraband sweets and silk stockings or challenge themselves on the assault course.

War history to come to life

He's been behaving like a Second World War spiv, during the recent possible petrol shortage.

Pen points

Arthur was a shocking spiv who traded in knocked-off gear and bent more rules than Enron to earn a crust.

BUSHELL ON THE BOX : One Del of a star

The extraordinary thing is she put up with such a second-rate spiv for so long.

Stotty on Sunday: MARK OF A SECOND-RATE SPIV

City spiv Farage claims he and billionaire Trump are representative of ordinary people beating the establishment.

May's cheek; VOICE OF THE

The former BHS owner was labelled a "billionaire spiv" as MPs lined-up to criticise his role in the retail chain's demise.