Definition

1. Noun:
   • A person whose job is to apply wallpaper to walls: This refers to a professional decorator specializing in hanging wallpaper as an occupation.
   • A person who passes fraudulent checks or counterfeit money: This is a slang term for a forger or swindler who uses worthless or fake paper documents.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Wallpaper installer):

  • We hired a skilled paperhanger to renovate the dining room.
  • The paperhanger measured the wall carefully before cutting the first strip.

• Noun (Passer of bad checks/forger):

  • The police arrested the paperhanger for trying to cash a fake check.
  • He was known in the underworld as a clever paperhanger who could forge banknotes.

Advanced Usage

• The term can be used metaphorically to describe someone who engages in deception or covers up flaws.
  • The corrupt official was a political paperhanger, using lies to cover the city's financial problems.

Variants and Related Words

• Paperhanging (n): The act or occupation of hanging wallpaper.
  • Paperhanging requires patience and precision.
• To paperhang (v, rare): To apply wallpaper.
  • He learned to paperhang from his father.

Synonyms

• For sense 1 (Wallpaper installer): Wallpaperer, decorator, tradesperson.
• For sense 2 (Passer of bad checks): Forger, counterfeiter, fraudster, swindler, check forger.

Related Phrases

• To pass bad paper: A related phrase meaning to circulate fraudulent checks or money.
  • The gang was involved in passing bad paper across state lines.

Related Idioms

• "To be a paperhanger": Used informally to label someone as untrustworthy or deceitful in financial matters.
  • Don't lend him money; I've heard he's a bit of a paperhanger.

Noun

1. one whose occupation is decorating walls with wallpaper
2. someone who passes bad checks or counterfeit paper money