Definition

1. Noun:

   • A dealer or trader in a specific commodity: A "monger" is someone who sells or trades a particular type of goods, often used in combination with another word to specify the trade.
   • A person who promotes or spreads something, often undesirable: In modern usage, it can refer to someone who fosters or encourages a particular activity, sentiment, or rumor, typically with a negative connotation.

2. Verb:

   • To sell or peddle goods: To engage in selling, especially by traveling from place to place.
   • To promote or spread something: To engage in promoting or disseminating ideas, often of a sensational or undesirable nature.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • He was a fishmonger at the local market. (He was a seller of fish at the local market.)
  • The politician was accused of being a warmonger. (The politician was accused of being someone who promotes war.)

• Verb (less common):

  • In the past, vendors would monger their wares in the town square. (In the past, vendors would sell their goods in the town square.)
  • She refused to monger gossip about her colleagues. (She refused to spread gossip about her colleagues.)

Advanced Usage

• "To monger fear": To actively promote or spread fear.

  • Some media outlets were accused of mongering fear during the crisis. (Some media outlets were accused of spreading fear during the crisis.)

• "Fashion-monger" (noun, archaic): A person who follows or deals in the latest fashions.

  • He was considered a mere fashion-monger, concerned only with trends. (He was considered merely a follower of fashion, concerned only with trends.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ironmonger (noun): A dealer in hardware and metal goods.

  • We bought the tools from the ironmonger. (We bought the tools from the hardware dealer.)

• Costermonger (noun, chiefly British): A person who sells fruit and vegetables from a cart or stall in the street.

  • The costermonger's call could be heard down the alley. (The street seller's call could be heard down the alley.)

• Mongering (noun/gerund): The act of dealing in or promoting something.

  • His fear-mongering was criticized as irresponsible. (His act of promoting fear was criticized as irresponsible.)

Synonyms

• Dealer: A person or business that buys and sells goods.
• Trader: A person who trades in goods.
• Peddler: A person who sells goods, especially by traveling from place to place.
• Hawker: A person who travels about selling goods.

Related Phrasal Verbs

(Note: "Monger" is not typically used in standard phrasal verb constructions. Its verbal use is direct.)

Related Idioms

• "Rumor-monger": A person who spreads rumors.

  • Don't listen to him; he's a notorious rumor-monger. (Don't listen to him; he's famously someone who spreads rumors.)

• "Scandal-monger": A person who spreads scandalous stories.

  • The tabloid was full of stories from scandal-mongers. (The tabloid was full of stories from people who spread scandal.)

Noun

1. someone who purchases and maintains an inventory of goods to be sold

Verb

1. sell or offer for sale from place to place