abaddon

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search
See also: Abaddon

English

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]

UK C19. From Abaddon, from Middle English, from Late Latin, from Ancient Greek Ἀβαδδών (Abaddṓn, Abaddon), from Hebrew אבדון (ābaddōn, destruction, abyss), from אבד (ābad, to be lost, to perish).

Noun

[edit]

abaddon (plural abaddons)

  1. (archaic, British slang) An informer; a criminal who informs on other criminals to the authorities.
    • c. 1839, Report of the Trial of the Great Gold Dust Robbery:
      The prisoner, Money Moses, better known among thieves and fences as Moses the abaddon, has been, to my knowledge, for the last twenty years a receiver and dealer in stolen property.

Synonyms

[edit]

References

[edit]