Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A tax-gatherer.
- noun A sheriff's officer, bailiff, constable, or other person whose duty is to make arrests.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun A bailiff's assistant.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun Alternative form of
catchpole .
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
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Examples
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Williamstown, and printed a quotation from that discourse, which, as I thought, a thief or catchpoll might well consider as establishing a fair presumption that it was so borrowed.
The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 10, No. 62, December, 1862 Various
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"Here's a griping colic to every catchpoll, harmon-beck and the like vermin 'twixt this and London town!" says he, and lifted the ale to his lips; but suddenly he sat it down untasted and rose: "Friends, I'm took!" quoth he.
Black Bartlemy's Treasure Jeffery Farnol 1915
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To this same repugnance for his catchpoll work do I owe it that at the moment of setting out he offered to let me ride without the annoyance of an escort if I would pass him my parole not to attempt an escape.
Bardelys the Magnificent; being an account of the strange wooing pursued by the Sieur Marcel de Saint-Pol, marquis of Bardelys... Rafael Sabatini 1912
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The gallant traitor did not linger for the governor's catchpoll to seize him.
A Dream of Empire Or, The House of Blennerhassett William Henry Venable 1878
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I have run after a thief with a poker: ay, and I have handled a Popish catchpoll, in Queen _Mary's_ days, that he never came near my house no more.
Joyce Morrell's Harvest The Annals of Selwick Hall Emily Sarah Holt 1864
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I'll not have him and you plotting to win you away ere the catchpoll [constable] come to carry you hence.
All's Well Alice's Victory Emily Sarah Holt 1864
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Bastian and the catchpoll, whichever of 'em lacks it first?
All's Well Alice's Victory Emily Sarah Holt 1864
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Once come the catchpoll to mine house, -- I wis not on what business, for, poor man! he tarried not to tell me when I come at him with the red-hot poker.
Joyce Morrell's Harvest The Annals of Selwick Hall Emily Sarah Holt 1864
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Denmark resembles one of those respectable streets in which it is scarcely necessary to station a catchpoll, because the inhabitants would at once join to seize a thief.
Miscellaneous Writings and Speeches — Volume 2 Thomas Babington Macaulay Macaulay 1829
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On the present occasion, we cannot but flatter ourselves that we bear a much greater resemblance to a practical catchpoll than either Mr Mill or Mr Bentham.
Miscellaneous Writings and Speeches — Volume 2 Thomas Babington Macaulay Macaulay 1829
rolig commented on the word catchpoll
See John McIntyre's delightful discussion of this word (originally meaning "tax-collector") at http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/language-blog/bal-in-a-word-catchpoll-20141222-story.html
December 27, 2014