monger
/'mʌɳgə/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
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.
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
- someone who purchases and maintains an inventory of goods to be sold
Verb
- sell or offer for sale from place to place