Spiv

Update: Upon reflection I think Mr Weston might well be seen as a slightly camp version of what the English used to call a "spiv". ❋ Unknown (2008)

This political 'spiv' gave no thought to the aftermath of his decisions internationally or nationally. ❋ Unknown (2010)

However, he was only following the precedent set by the spineless grinning 'spiv' Blair who constantly referred to and talked about: ❋ Unknown (2010)

Finally, the word "spiv": no fashion lesson here, just enjoyment of the word's debut on this page. ❋ Unknown (2008)

- the stupidity of so many voters who believed in the vacuous 'spiv' Blair and the spin from Campbell and the twice disgraced Mandelson. ❋ Unknown (2010)

The roots lie in the British 80s and 90s -- two decades defined by the "chav" and "spiv" culture that was the fruit of the Murdoch 'n' Maggie as in Margaret Thatcher union. ❋ Martin Lewis (2011)

HM Treasury famously preens itself as having a collection of the very finest minds Oxbridge can produce – a pity then their principal activity seems to be devising spiv-like ways of deceiving the punters. ❋ Patrick Butler (2010)

The spiv, the showman; Mr Blair promised a brave new world - a shining castle on the hill - very Reaganish... a promise he most certainly could not uphold as there was no hill, the castle was made of papier mache and when the rains came it melted away...... ❋ Unknown (2011)

Libertines frontman Pete Doherty was "pathetic, a spiv". ❋ Unknown (2011)

Alderman sidled up in the manner of Dad's Army's resident spiv Joe Walker with a pocketful of petrol coupons to shift at the policeman's ball. ❋ Unknown (2011)

Is this because the BoE is the only Bank in London without a spiv department speculating in anything and everything? ❋ Unknown (2011)

In a Mail article in July, Amoral spiv or true traditional Tory? ❋ Roy Greenslade (2010)

Actors? one playing a spiv, for example, another an air-raid warden? are to help recreate the atmosphere as will the sound of sirens and dropping bombs. ❋ Unknown (2010)

That kind of obsequious attitude plus Gordon Brown's 'light touch regulation' were taken by the 'spiv' element in the City as the signal that anything goes. ❋ Unknown (2009)

PayPal is just a sleazy middle-man, a spiv in a shiny suit, creaming off a percentage of the transaction for doing nothing very much. ❋ Unknown (2007)

Now, I suspected I was buying a cheapo knockoff, but the fact that the seller represented it as the official Apple part is just deceitful and spiv-like. rashbre ❋ Unknown (2007)

Meanwhile Scotland's first minister – a former RBS banker – was exposed this week as a political spiv and speculator for short-selling the Scottish public. ❋ Jeff (2009)

This [real estate] boom is a [spiv's] [paradise]. ❋ Coljac (2005)

he [dresses] like a spiv ❋ Klidenengro (2004)

quoted from [the libertines] song "what a [waster]". "what a [divvy], what a fucking div, talking like a moron, walking like a spiv" ❋ Drew Peacock And Dan Gleebles (2005)

"did you see gary yesterday? he told the [conscription] officer he was afraid of loud noises but I found him at the [shooting range] firing the shotguns with no [earmuffs] on. He is such a spiv." ❋ The_Taxidermist (2005)

You [fucking] spiv. ❋ Boothenangel (2003)

[oh my god]...[look at] him...he is [such a] spiv! ❋ Tiddles (2005)

spivs and gamblers: Did not [risky] actions brought about the [collapse] of world financial system in 2007 and 2008 and have they learned anything from its collapse and the [rescue] with the tax payers's money? ❋ Ssup (2010)