highbinder

[ hahy-bahyn-der ]
/ ˈhaɪˌbaɪn dər /

noun

a swindler; confidence man; cheat.
a dishonest political official or leader.
a member of a secret Chinese band or society employed in U.S. cities in blackmail, assassination, etc.
a ruffian or rowdy.

Origin of highbinder

1800–10, Americanism; apparently high + binder; literal sense is unclear

Example sentences from the Web for highbinder

British Dictionary definitions for highbinder

highbinder
/ (ˈhaɪˌbaɪndə) /

noun US informal

a gangster
a corrupt politician
(formerly) a member of a Chinese-American secret society that engaged in blackmail, murder, etc

Word Origin for highbinder

C19: named after the High-binders, a New York city gang