pander

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive)
• HYPHEN: pan=der

CIDE DICTIONARY

pander, n. [From Pandarus, a leader in the Trojan army, who is represented by Chaucer and Shakespeare as having procured for Troilus the possession of Cressida.].

•  A male bawd; a pimp; a procurer.  [1913 Webster]

  "Thou art the pander to her dishonor."  [1913 Webster]
•  Hence, one who ministers to the evil designs and passions of another.  [1913 Webster]

  "Those wicked panders to avarice and ambition."  [1913 Webster]

pander, v. t. 

 To play the pander for.  [1913 Webster]

to pander to v. t. To appeal to (base emotions or less noble desires), so as to achieve one's purpose; to exploit (base emotions, such as lust, prejudice, or hate).

pander, v. i. 

 To act the part of a pander.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

pander, v. & n.
--v.intr. (foll. by to) gratify or indulge a person, a desire or weakness, etc.
--n.
1 a go-between in illicit love affairs; a procurer.
2 a person who encourages coarse desires.

Etymology

Pandare, a character in Boccaccio and in Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde, f. L Pandarus f. Gk Pandaros

THESAURUS

pander

bawd, bow to, bully, cadet, cater to, fancy, fancy man, gigolo, gratify, humor, indulge, madam, maquereau, pander to, panderer, pimp, procure, procurer, procuress, prostitute, satisfy, solicit, solicitor, truckle to, white slaver, whoremonger, yield to

ROGET THESAURUS

pander

Libertine

N libertine, voluptuary, rake, debauchee, loose fish, rip, rakehell, fast man, intrigant, gallant, seducer, fornicator, lecher, satyr, goat, whoremonger, paillard, adulterer, gay deceiver, Lothario, Don Juan, Bluebeard, chartered libertine, adulteress, advoutress, courtesan, prostitute, strumpet, harlot, whore, punk, fille de joie, woman, woman of the town, streetwalker, Cyprian, miss, piece, frail sisterhood, demirep, wench, trollop, trull, baggage, hussy, drab, bitch, jade, skit, rig, quean, mopsy, slut, minx, harridan, unfortunate, unfortunate female, unfortunate woman, woman of easy virtue, wanton, fornicatress, Jezebel, Messalina, Delilah, Thais, Phryne, Aspasia, Lais, lorette, cocotte, petite dame, grisette, demimonde, chippy, sapphist, spiritual wife, white slave, concubine, mistress, doxy, chere amie, bona roba, pimp, procurer, pander, pandar, bawd, conciliatrix, procuress, mackerel, wittol.