bandit
noun
- kind of criminal
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈbændɪt/
noun
Etymology: Borrowed from Italian bandito (“outlawed”), a derivative of Italian bandire (“to ban”), from Late Latin bandīre, an alteration (due to Gothic 𐌱𐌰𐌽𐌳𐍅𐌾𐌰𐌽 (bandwjan, “to signal”)) of Late Latin bannīre (“to ban”), from Frankish *bannan (“to ban”). Doublet of bandito.
- One who robs others in a lawless area, especially as part of a group.
“Do you recollect a story my nurse told us of a Sicilian bandit, the terror of the country?—how he saved a young child from a cottage on fire, brought it up delicately, and far removed from his own pursuits; while, at his execution, his chief regret was the future provision for that boy?”
- An outlaw.
- One who cheats others.
- An aircraft identified as an enemy, but distinct from "hostile" or "threat" in that it is not immediately to be engaged.
- A runner who covertly joins a race without having registered as a participant.
- Synonym of arse bandit.
verb
Etymology: Borrowed from Italian bandito (“outlawed”), a derivative of Italian bandire (“to ban”), from Late Latin bandīre, an alteration (due to Gothic 𐌱𐌰𐌽𐌳𐍅𐌾𐌰𐌽 (bandwjan, “to signal”)) of Late Latin bannīre (“to ban”), from Frankish *bannan (“to ban”). Doublet of bandito.
- To rob, or steal from, in the manner of a bandit.
“First, she read the bandit news in the paper, and was rather disappointed to learn that her man had evidently taken a night off from banditing. An imitator of the bandit had made an unsuccessful attempt to hold up a drug-store, and had backed out and run when the nervy proprietor reached for a gun; but that was all.”
“As the sanctuary was bandited at least once, it may be that the silver wine cups I have are from the treasure.”