sarbut

English

Noun

sarbut (plural sarbuts)

1. (UK, regional) A police informer.
   • 1973, Roger Busby, Pattern of Violence, page 20:

     If a sarbut suddenly went bent, then it was only to be expected. He walked across to a desk set beside the doorway of the crime squad office, leafed through the pages of the duty book and absently wrote in Shakespeare's name and rank […]

   • 2014, Judith Cutler, Power Games:

     Rowley nodded. 'Put it on paper, Kate. But don't call him an informant. It's sarbut up here. And I tell you, though I hate to admit it, we don't often get women managing sarbuts.'

Anagrams

• Straub, Traubs, aburst, arbust