peddler
/ˈpedlə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈpedlər/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈped-lər/ (ame, mw)
peddler — noun
- peddlersingular
- peddlersplural
1. in earlier centuries, a trader who walked or rode from village to village with a
in earlier centuries, a trader who walked or rode from village to village with a pack of small things like ribbons, pins, pots, or cloth, knocking on doors to find buyers.
A travelling peddler stopped at Mayumi's farmhouse to sell needles and thread.
noun: travelling peddler (historical occupation)
Valentina's great-grandfather worked as a peddler across the Italian countryside in the 1890s.
work / serve as a peddler
In Dickens's novels, a kindly peddler often brings news and ribbons into a quiet country village.
Cole's grandfather remembered peddlers arriving each spring with brushes, soap, and small mirrors.
An old peddler unrolled a wool blanket on the cobblestones and laid out his hand-carved wooden combs.
- hawker
similar historical sense; often sold loudly in markets rather than door-to-door
- pedlar
British spelling of the same word
- street vendor
modern equivalent for someone selling from a stall or cart
用法筆記
Often used in historical or literary contexts; modern street vendors are usually called 'street vendor' or 'hawker' instead. Frequently appears with 'travelling' or with the goods sold (peddler of needles, peddler of cloth).
常見錯誤
2. a person who keeps pushing a particular idea, theory, or claim on other people —
a person who keeps pushing a particular idea, theory, or claim on other people — usually with a negative tone, suggesting the idea is questionable, exaggerated, or self-serving.
Critics called the talk-show host a peddler of conspiracy theories during the election.
peddler of + abstract noun (typical pattern)
Xiu accused the wellness brand of being a peddler of false hope to anxious parents.
peddler of false hope / empty promises
On Monday's radio show, Ravindra dismissed the newspaper columnist as a peddler of cheap nostalgia for the 1950s.
During the campaign, several local politicians acted as peddlers of fear, citing crime statistics the police data didn't support.
In her history seminar, Élise warned her students never to trust peddlers of simple answers about the French Revolution.
- purveyor
more formal; can be neutral or positive ('purveyor of fine teas'), unlike peddler which is usually negative
- promoter
neutral; describes the act of pushing without judging the content
- propagandist
stronger and political; suggests organised effort to spread biased ideas
文法句型
peddler of [idea / theory / claim]
用法筆記
Almost always followed by 'of' + an abstract noun (lies, fear, hope, ideas, nostalgia). Usually disapproving — calling someone a peddler of X implies the X is shallow, false, or harmful. Distinguish from sense 1 (a literal seller of physical goods).
常見錯誤
3. someone whose work is to supply banned drugs in small quantities — typically on
someone whose work is to supply banned drugs in small quantities — typically on a street corner or directly to users — and occasionally describes a seller of stolen goods.
Police arrested a drug peddler outside the train station on Friday night.
drug peddler (typical compound)
Layla testified in court against the peddler who had sold heroin to her brother.
The Netflix documentary follows Rin, a young peddler selling pills in the back alleys of Yokohama's old port district.
Christopher had been a small-time peddler for two years before he finally entered rehab.
Yumi reported a known peddler operating near her daughter's high school.
- dealer
most common everyday word; 'drug dealer' is more neutral journalistically than 'drug peddler'
- pusher
informal; emphasises actively trying to get people to start using drugs
- trafficker
operates at a larger scale, often across borders; not a street-level seller
文法句型
drug peddler
peddler of [drug name]
用法筆記
Often modified by 'drug', 'small-time', or 'street'. Stronger and more journalistic than 'dealer'; common in news reports and court contexts. Distinguish from sense 1 (legal historical trader) — modern context plus 'drug'/'street'/'illegal' signals this sense.