catchpole

See also: Catchpole

English

Pronunciation
  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈkatʃpəʊl/

Etymology 1

From Old French chacepol (“one who chases fowls”) (or a northern variant thereof).

Alternative forms

Noun

catchpole (plural catchpoles)

  1. (obsolete) A taxman, one who gathers taxes.
    • 1930, Norman Lindsay, Redheap, Sydney: Ure Smith, published 1965, page 247:
      With two such catchpoles as Henry and Uncle Fred at his heels there was nothing left for Grandpa Piper but to sign his abdication to the drapery business.
  2. A sheriff’s officer, usually one who arrests debtors.
Translations
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

Etymology 2

catch +‎ pole

Alternative forms
  • catch-pole

Noun

catchpole (plural catchpoles)

  1. (historical) An implement formerly used for seizing and securing a man who would otherwise be out of reach.
    • 1843, Henry Shaw, Dresses and Decorations of the Middle Ages, W Pickering 1843:
      The use of the catch-pole is said to have been to take horsemen in battle by the neck and drag them from their horses.

See also

References
  • catchpole in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911
This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.