farmer-general

[ fahr-mer-jen-er-uh l ]

/ ˈfɑr mərˈdʒɛn ər əl /

(in France, under the old monarchy) a member of a company of capitalists that farmed certain taxes.

Origin of farmer-general

1705–15; translation of French fermier-général

far·mer-gen·er·al·ship, noun

He was a farmer-general of the taxes, and amassed an immense fortune by grinding the poor.

Curiosities of Human Nature |Anonymous
Her husband held the lucrative post of farmer-general to the king, and besides inherited large estates.

Letters To Eugenia |Paul Henri Thiry Holbach
And what must have happened was this: the farmer-general began by turning his fortune into solid gold and silver money.

The Confessions of Arsne Lupin |Maurice Leblanc
The farmer-general left none but collateral relations, who had offered the house in Rue de Bretonvilliers for sale.

The Bath Keepers, v.2 (Novels of Paul de Kock Volume VIII) |Charles Paul de Kock

Obviously, the instinctive notion of time represented by the sun-dial in the farmer-general's pictures.

The Confessions of Arsne Lupin |Maurice Leblanc

farmer-general

(in France before 1789) a member of a group allowed to farm certain taxes

farmer-generalship, noun