noun
bagman
noun
1
Someone who secretly collects or delivers money for bribery or other illicit payments.
"The investigation revealed the councilman had used a bagman to collect kickbacks from contractors."
2
A traveling salesman who carries samples of his goods from town to town.
"In the 1950s, the bagman would visit every shop in the county with his sample case."
How to Use Bagman
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomeone who handles money — often shady money — on behalf of someone else, or an old-fashioned traveling salesman.
When to use it
The "bribery courier" sense is common in journalism and crime reporting; it carries a distinctly negative connotation.
Word Forms
bagmen plural
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The investigation revealed the councilman had used a _____ to collect kickbacks from contractors.
Etymology
A compound of bag and man, originally describing someone who literally carried a bag of goods or money.