pander

English

WOTD – 18 July 2006

Alternative forms

• pandar

Etymology

From Chaucer’s character Pandare (in Troilus and Criseyde) (see also Shakespeare’s Troilus and Cressida), from Italian Pandaro (found in Boccaccio), from Latin Pandarus (found in Greek mythology), from Ancient Greek Πάνδαρος (Pándaros).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpændə/
• IPA^(key): /ˈpændɚ/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Audio (AU):

  (file)

• Homophone: panda

Noun

pander (plural panders)

1. A person who furthers the illicit love-affairs of others; a pimp or procurer.

   Synonyms: panderer; see also Thesaurus:pimp

   • 1609, Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida, Act 3:

     […] if ever you prove false one, to another since I have taken such paine to bring you together let all pittifull goers betweene be cald to the worlds end after my name, call them all Panders, let all constant men be Troylusses all false woemen Cressids, and all brokers betweene panders

   • 1992, Moncrieff/Kilmartin/Enright, translating Marcel Proust, Swann’s Way, Folio Society 2005, p. 190:

     It was not only the brilliant phalanx of virtuous dowagers, generals and academicians with whom he was most intimately associated that Swann so cynically compelled to serve him as panders.

2. An offer of illicit sex with a third party.
3. An illicit or illegal offer, usually to tempt.
4. (by extension) One who ministers to the evil designs and passions of another.
   • (Can we date this quote by Burke and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)

     Those wicked panders to avarice and ambition.

Derived terms

• panderly
• pandersome

Translations

pimp or procurer — see pimp

• Finnish: paritus (fi)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

illicit or illegal offer

• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

translations to be checked

• French: ^{(please verify)} entremetteur (fr)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Italian: ^{(please verify)} ruffiano (it), ^{(please verify)} mezzano (it)

Verb

pander (third-person singular simple present panders, present participle pandering, simple past and past participle pandered)

1. (intransitive) To offer illicit sex with a third party; to pimp.
2. (intransitive) To tempt with, to appeal or cater to (improper motivations, etc.); to assist in gratification.

   His latest speech panders to the worst instincts of the electorate.

3. (transitive, obsolete) To act as a pander for (somebody).

Derived terms

• panderer

Related terms

• demagogism

Translations

to offer illicit sex with a third party

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 拉皮條／拉皮条 (zh) (lāpítiáo), 拉皮条 (zh) (lāpítiáo)

• Dutch: koppelen (nl)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Finnish: parittaa (fi)
• German: verkuppeln (de)
• Russian: сво́дничать (ru) impf (svódničatʹ)
• Serbo-Croatian: podvoditi (sh), svoditi (sh)

to appeal or cater to

• Dutch: tegemoetkomen aan, toegeven aan, naar de mond praten
• Finnish: vedota (fi)
• German: nachgeben (de), frönen (de), zufriedenstellen (de), Befriedigung verschaffen, befriedigen (de), huldigen (de), anbiedern (de) (reflexive), andienen (de) (reflexive)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Italian: ammiccare (it)
• Maori: morimori
• Russian: потво́рствовать (ru) impf (potvórstvovatʹ), потака́ть (ru) impf (potakátʹ)
• Serbo-Croatian: podilaziti (sh)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Italian: compiacere (it), assecondare (it), fare da mezzano, fare il magnaccia
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

Anagrams

• repand

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Danish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpanə/, [ˈpʰanə]

Noun

pander c

1. (deprecated template usage) indefinite plural of pande

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Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈpan.der/, [ˈpän̪d̪ɛr]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈpan.der/, [ˈpän̪d̪er]

Verb

(deprecated template usage) pander

1. first-person singular present passive subjunctive of pandō