Pimp Definition & Meaning

American

British

Etymology

Related Words

Synonyms pimp American [pimp] / pɪmp /

noun

1. a person, especially a man, who solicits customers for a prostitute or a brothel, usually in return for a share of the earnings; panderer; procurer.

2. a despicable person.

3. Australia and New Zealand. an informer; stool pigeon.

verb (used without object)

1. to act as a pimp, soliciting customers for a prostitute or brothel in return for a share of the earnings.

2. to engage in promotion or publicizing.

   She's used her blog before to pimp for her brother's band.

verb (used with object)

1. to act as a pimp for, procuring customers for a prostitute or brothel (sometimes followed byout ).

   It won't be long before the so-called boyfriend starts pimping her out.

2. to promote; sell.

   We'll send you albums and pimp your websites on ours.

3. to exploit.

   You've been accused of pimping your friendships, using them as material for your novels.

4. to customize, modify, or decorate (a car or the like); deck out (sometimes followed by up or out):

   My cousin pimped his lowrider with some wild hydraulics.

5. to make more appealing; rejuvenate; elevate; jazz up (sometimes followed by up or out): This article on pimping your skincare routine is all about buying new products.

   The chef likes to pimp her burgers with a fried egg and truffle oil.

   This article on pimping your skincare routine is all about buying new products.

pimp 1 British / pɪmp /

noun

1. a man who solicits for a prostitute or brothel and lives off the earnings

2. a man who procures sexual gratification for another; procurer; pander

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

1. (intr) to act as a pimp

2. slang (tr) to adapt or embellish in an ostentatious manner

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 pimp 2 British / pɪmp /

noun

1. a spy or informer

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

1. to inform (on)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of pimp

First recorded in 1630–40; origin uncertain

Related Words

• hustler

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.