Definition of Gombeen

1. Noun. (archaic) Usury. ¹

2. Noun. (historical Ireland) A moneylender during the Famine. ¹

3. Noun. (Ireland slang) A mean, underhanded, corrupt person. Usually applied to politicians. ¹

4. Adjective. (Ireland) Corrupt, Underhanded. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Gombeen

1. usury [n -S] - See also: usury

Lexicographical Neighbors of Gombeen

golosh
goloshe
goloshed
goloshes
goloshing
golp
golpe
golpes
golps
goltschut
goltschuts
golubtsy
goluptious
gom
goman
gombeen (current term)
gombeens
gombo
gombos
gombro
gombroon
gombroons
gombros
gome
gomenol
gomer
gomeral
gomerals
gomerel
gomerels

Literary usage of Gombeen

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Paraguay on Shannon: The Price of a Political Priesthood ; Remarks on Policy by Frank Hugh O'Donnell (1908)
"The gombeen grocer is a shopkeeper who, besides letting his customers have their supplies on a long credit and long prices, also directly lends sums of ..."

2. Irish Literature by Justin McCarthy, Maurice Francis Egan, Douglas Hyde, Charles Welsh, Gregory, James Jeffrey Roche (1904)
"THE gombeen MAN. From 'The Snake's Pass.' In the midst of the buzz of conversation the clattering of hoofs was heard. There was a shout, and the door opened ..."

3. Ireland Under Coercion: The Diary of an American by William Henry Hurlbert (1888)
"But it blooms all over with evidences of the prosperity of that interesting type of Irish civilisation, the " gombeen man," of whom I had heard so much at ..."

4. Industrial Ireland: A Practical and Non-political View of "Ireland for the by Robert Dennis (1887)
"... in Ireland—Markets for Irish Produce—English Agents at the Fairs—Their Monopoly—Advances made by them to Farmers—The " gombeen " Man—Usury and Banking. ..."

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