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Definition of 'bumbailiff'

Word Frequency

bumbailiff in British

(ˌbʌmˈbeɪlɪf )
noun
British derogatory
(formerly) an officer employed to collect debts and arrest debtors for nonpayment
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin of 'bumbailiff'
C17: from bum1 + bailiff, so called because he follows hard behind debtors
Word Frequency

bumbailiff in American

(ˌbʌmˈbeɪlɪf ; bumˌbālˈif)
noun
British
a bailiff or sheriff's officer
a contemptuous usage
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word origin of 'bumbailiff'
bum2 + bailiff: ? because the officer was often close behind

Trends of 'bumbailiff'

Used Rarely. bumbailiff is in the lower 50% of commonly used words in the Collins dictionary

View usage for:

Nearby words of 'bumbailiff'

  • bum steer
  • bum's rush
  • bumbag
  • bumbailiff
  • bumbaze
  • bumbershoot
  • bumble

  • All ENGLISH words that begin with 'B'

Source

Definition of bumbailiff from the Collins English Dictionary

The past perfect continuous tense

Typical forms of this tense are as shown in: I had been waiting. I ’d been waiting . She had been waiting . She ’d been waiting. Had I been talking nonsense ? What had I said? Had he bee...
Read more about 'The past perfect continuous tense'
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Scrabble score for 'bumbailiff': 22
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