huckster

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: huck=ster

CIDE DICTIONARY

huckster, n. [OE. hukstere, hukster, OD. heukster, D. heuker; akin to D. huiken to stoop, bend, OD. huycken, huken, G. hocken, to squat, Icel. hka; -- the peddler being named from his stooping under the load on his back. Cf. Hawk to offer for sale.].

•  A retailer of small articles, of provisions, and the like; a peddler; a hawker.  Swift.  [1913 Webster]
•  A mean, trickish fellow.  Bp. Hall.  [1913 Webster]

huckster, v. i. 

 To deal in small articles, or in petty bargains.  Swift.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

huckster, n. & v.
--n.
1 a mercenary person.
2 US a publicity agent, esp. for broadcast material.
3 a pedlar or hawker.
--v.
1 intr. bargain, haggle.
2 tr. carry on a petty traffic in.
3 tr. adulterate.

Etymology

ME prob. f. LG: cf. dial. huck to bargain, HAWKER(1)

THESAURUS

huckster

arab, bargain, beat down, bid, bid for, cadger, chaffer, chapman, cheap-jack, cheap-john, cheapen, cheapjack, colporteur, coster, costermonger, dicker, dispense, drive a bargain, duffer, haggle, hawk, hawker, higgle, higgler, jew down, monger, negotiate, outbid, palter, peddle, peddler, sidewalk salesman, underbid, vend, vendor

ROGET THESAURUS

huckster

Barter

VB barter, exchange, swap, swop, truck, scorse, interchange, commutate, compound for, trade, traffic, buy and sell, give and take, nundinate, carry on a trade, ply a trade, drive a trade, be in business, be in the city, keep a shop, deal in, employ one's capital in, trade with, deal with, have dealings with, transact business with, do business with, open an account with, keep an account with, bargain, drive a bargain, make a bargain, negotiate, bid for, haggle, higgle, dicker, chaffer, huckster, cheapen, beat down, stickle, stickle for, out bid, under bid, ask, charge, strike a bargain, speculate, give a sprat to catch a herring, buy in the cheapest and sell in the dearest market, buy low and sell high, corner the market, rig the market, stag the market.

Merchant

N merchant, trader, dealer, monger, chandler, salesman, changer, regrater, shopkeeper, shopman, tradesman, tradespeople, tradesfolk, retailer, chapman, hawker, huckster, higgler, pedlar, colporteur, cadger, Autolycus, sutler, vivandiere, costerman, costermonger, tallyman, camelot, faker, vintner, money broker, money changer, money lender, cambist, usurer, moneyer, banker, jobber, broker, buyer, seller, bear, bull, concern, firm.