huckster

Etymology

From Middle English hukster, probably of Low German or Dutch origin, from Middle Low German höken (“to peddle”) or Middle Dutch hokester, itself from hoeken (“to peddle”), all from Proto-Germanic *huk-; compare hawkster.

noun

  1. A peddler or hawker, who sells small items, either door-to-door, from a stall, or in the street.
    drive those china hucksters from the doors
  2. Somebody who sells things in an aggressive or showy manner.
    Like most human activities, ballooning has sponsored heroes and hucksters and a good deal in between. For every dedicated scientist patiently recording atmospheric pressure and wind speed while shivering at high altitudes, there is a carnival barker with a bevy of pretty girls willing to dangle from a basket or parachute down to earth. 2013-06-07, David Simpson, “Fantasy of navigation”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 26, page 36
  3. One who deceptively sells fraudulent products.
  4. Somebody who writes advertisements for radio or television.

verb

  1. (intransitive) To haggle, to wrangle, or to bargain.
  2. (transitive) To sell or offer goods from place to place, to peddle.
  3. (transitive) To promote or sell goods in an aggressive, showy manner.

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