General
gombeen
What does gombeen mean?
Originally the village money-lender squeezing the poor — the 'gombeen man' of 19th-century rural Ireland. Now broadened to any small-time chancer or shady operator out for themselves. In Irish politics, 'gombeenism' is the standard slur for grubby local backhanders.
"Pure gombeen carry-on — buys the land cheap, flips it to the council for triple."
Origin
From Irish 'gaimbín' — usury, excessive interest.
Frequently asked questions
What does gombeen mean?
A gombeen is a wheeler-dealer profiteer — the village loan shark archetype.
How do you use gombeen in a sentence?
"That gombeen would charge his own mother interest."
Where does gombeen come from?
It comes from the Irish word "gaimbín," meaning usury or petty money-lending.
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