wheeler-dealer

English

Etymology

From the original context of betting and casino, one chancing his luck and skill and perhaps his ability to cheat.

Noun

wheeler-dealer (plural wheeler-dealers)

1. (informal) A shrewd political or commercial schemer, especially one who is unscrupulous; a hustler; a shady operator.
   • 1990 November 26, Ed Magnuson, Hays Gorey, “You Sold Your Office”, in Time:

     Seated at separate tables to underscore their differing levels of involvement with indicted savings and loan wheeler-dealer Charles Keating, the five were fighting to regain reputations earned in a lifetime of public service.

Related terms

• wheel and deal
• wheeler-dealing

Translations

political or commercial schemer

• Danish: krejler c
• Finnish: puliveivari (fi)
• French: affairiste (fr) m or f
• German: Geschäftemacher (de) m, Geschäftemacherin (de) f
• Hebrew: עַסְקוּנָה m ('askunah)
• Italian: faccendiere (it), intrallazzatore (it) m, macchinatore (it) m
• Russian: махина́тор (ru) m (maxinátor)
• Spanish: chueco (es) m