old-clothesman

English

Alternative forms

old clothesman

Etymology

From old +‎ clothes +‎ -man.

Noun

old-clothesman (plural old-clothesmen)

1. A dealer in used clothing.
   • 1853, The Chronicles of Enguerrand De Monstrelet, page 389:

     Having confessed their guilt, on Tuesday in Passion-week, La Hotte, his brother, the sergeant, the locksmith, a shearman, and an old-clothesman called Martin de Coulogne, were ordered to be hanged on the gibbet at Paris by sentence of the provost of Paris.

   • 1893, Henry Sutherland Edwards, “Chapter XXXVIII. Petty Trades.”, in Old and New Paris: Its History, Its People, and Its Places‎^[1], volume 1, Cassell and Company, page 261:

     If the old-clothesman is waiting for the student, the student is on the impecunious position, sold them back again to Jules.

   • 1902, Theodore Burt Sayre, Tom Moore: An Unhistorical Romance:

     At this moment the old-clothesman paused beneath the window, and putting his hand trumpet-wise to his mouth, shrilly declared his ability and willingness to purchase whatever cast-off garments those dwelling in the vicinity might desire to sell.

2. A person who wears old, cast-off clothing.