Forms: 4–5 brocor, brokour, brocour(e, 6 brooker, brokar, 7 broaker, 5– broker. See also BROGGER. [ME. brocor, -our, brokour, a. AngloF. brocour (also broggour) = ONF. brokeor (:—L. type *broccātōrem), nom. brokiere (:—L. *broccātor) of which Godefroy has one example explained by him as ‘celui qui vend du vin au broc,’ as to the precise sense of which see below. The Central Fr. equivalent was brocheor, brochière; and the word is the agent noun of the OFr. vb. brochier, ONF. brokier (:—L. *broccāre) in the sense ‘to broach’ or ‘tap’ a cask. Brocheor, brokeor stand in precisely the same relation to the sb. broche, broc, and the vb. brochier, brokier, as tapster or rather the earlier tapper stand to the sb. tap, and vb. to tap in Teutonic: the brocheor, brokeor, brokour, or broker, was lit. a tapster, who retailed wine ‘from the tap,’ and hence, by extension, any retail-dealer, one who bought to sell over again, a second-hand dealer, or who bought for another, hence a jobber, middleman, agent, etc. Cf. sense of L. caupo.
The Romanic vb. broccare was evidently f. brocco, brocca in the sense of ‘spike, piercing instrument’ (:—L. broccus, brocca adj.: see BROACH). But these sbs. appear to have afterwards had their sense modified from the verb, so that in the OF. vendre à broke, or à broche, in mod.F. vendre à broc, the sense passed from ‘broach,’ to ‘broaching, tapping,’ and at length to ‘the quantity of wine drawn at a broaching or tapping,’ and hence ‘the jug or vessel which held this,’ as in mod.F. broc (from 5 to 10 liters). Anglo-French had also a deriv. form abrocour, and there were Anglo-Latin words abrocator, abrocamentum; also brocarius ‘proxeneta, interpres et consiliarius contractuum,’ and abrocarius. Brocarius appears to have been formed on the sb. (broc(c)a, broc(c)us); abrocarius must have been formed on the apparent analogy of brocator, abrocator.]
I. A retailer of commodities; a second-hand dealer.
† 1. A retailer; contemptuously, Pedlar, petty dealer, monger. (Now sunk in sense 2.)
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. VII. 95. Ȝut am ich brocor of bakbytynge · and blame mennes ware.
1583. Stanyhurst, Æneis, I. (Arb.), 33. For gould his carcasse was sold by the broker Achilles.
1598. Marston, Pigmal., I. 138. But Broker of anothers wit.
1657. J. Angier, Elegy, in S. Purchas, Pol. Flying Ins. Brokers in verse condemn it.
1730. Young, Ep. Pope, i. Poems (1757), I. 183. Millions of wits, and brokers in old song.
2. A dealer in second-hand furniture and apparel; a pawnbroker.
[1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. V. 248. I haue lent lordes and ladyes my chaffare And ben her brocour after, and bouȝte it myself.]
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abus., II. 39. I haue hard prisoners … declaime and crie out against brookers. For, said they … if they would not haue receiued our stollen goods, we woulde neuer haue stollen them.
1598. B. Jonson, Ev. Man in Hum., III. v. (1616), 39. A Hounds-ditch man, sir. One of the deuils neere kinsmen, a broker.
1600. Rowland, Lett. Humours Blood, I. 47. Clad in the ruines of a Brokers shoppe. Ibid. (1611), Knave of Hrts., in Singer, Hist. Cards, 257. Or brokers, for their buying things are stole.
1641. Termes de la Ley, 43 b. Broker … the word is now also appropriated to them amongst us that buy and sell old and broken apparell and household-stuffe.
1766. Entick, London, IV. 69. Brokers, who deal in both new and old houshold goods.
1872. Black, Adv. Phaeton, 15. An old landscape that has lain for years in a broker’s shop.
II. One who acts as a middleman in bargains.
3. ‘One employed as a middleman to transact business or negotiate bargains between different merchants or individuals’ (McCulloch). Formerly used more widely, including the senses of ‘jobber, agent, factor, commission-agent.’
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. V. 130. Amonges Burgeyses haue I be dwellynge at Londoun, And gert bakbitinge be a brocoure [C. brocor] to blame mennes ware.
1410. Will of R. Beche (Somerset Ho.). John Houghton Brocour Artis Aurifabrorum.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., ccv. 186. An alyen that was callyd Arnold of spayne that was a brocour of london.
1495. Act 11 Hen. VII., viii. [If] the seller hymself or by his broker or factour … bye the same godes.
1509. Will of Draycot (Somerset Ho.). Haberdassher and broker.
1570. Levins, Manip., 71. A Broker, proxeneta.
1599. Hakluyt, Voy., II. 260. There are in Pegu eight Brokers … which are bound to sell your goods at the price which they be worth, and you giue them for their labour two in the hundred.
1622. Malynes, Anc. Law-Merch., 202. The common saying is, That a craftie Merchant needeth no Broker.
1641. Termes de la Ley, 43 b. The true trade of a Broker … is to beat, contrive, make, and conclude Bargaines between Merchants and Tradesmen.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett., vi. 24. By their profession they are for the most part Broakers.
1705. Lond. Gaz., No. 4131/4. John Styles, Sworn-Broker [see 1849].
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 56. He served them for … a broker, to bargain for them with the European ships for provisions.
1849. Freese, Comm. Class-bk., 19. Brokers ought to be sworn by the public authorities not to transact any business on their own account, under a heavy penalty; which is the case in … London, [etc.].
1858. Ld. St. Leonards, Handy Bk. Prop. Law, XXI. 166. Never allow the money … to be retained by brokers, agents, or solicitors.
b. ‘Brokers are divided into different classes; as bill or exchange brokers, STOCKBROKERS, ship and insurance brokers, PAWNBROKERS.… The brokers who negotiate sales of produce between different merchants usually confine themselves to some one department or line of business’ (McCulloch), as cotton-broker, tea-broker, wool-broker, etc.
1622. Malynes, Anc. Law-Merch., 64. Guided … by ignorant Brokers of Exchanges.
1769. Junius Lett., i. 9. A man, whose cares … have degraded the office of Commander-in-Chief into a broker of Commissions. Ibid., ii. 13. The dignity is depraved … into the base office of a Commission-broker.
1849. Cobden, Speeches, 46. The cotton brokers of Liverpool, and the cotton spinners of Manchester.
1852. McCulloch, Comm. Dict., 198. Their charge as ship brokers is about 2 per cent. on the gross receipts. When they act as insurance brokers they charge 5 per cent. on the premium.
a. 1860. C. Fenn, Eng. & For. Funds (1883), 127. The Members of the Stock Exchange are called ‘Jobbers’ and ‘Brokers.’… The broker deals with the jobber for his principal, and is remunerated by commission.
1860. All Y. Round, No. 75. 582. Blacklegs … the betting brokers were formerly called.
† 4. A go-between or intermediary in love affairs; a hired match-maker, marriage-agent; also a procurer, pimp, bawd; a pander generally. Obs.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. II. 65. And now worth this Mede ymaried al to a mansed schrewe … Ac fauel was þe first þat fette hire out of boure, And as a brokour brouȝte hir, to be with fals enioigned.
1393. Gower, Conf., II. 280. Brocours of love, that deceiven.
1514. Barclay, Cyt. & Uplondyshm. (1847), 30. So many woers, baudes and brokers … that chast Penelope Coulde scant among them preserve hir chastitie.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., I. ii. 41. Now (by my modesty) a goodly Broker. Ibid. (1606), Tr. & Cr., V. x. 33. Pandarus. But heare you? heare you? Troylus. Hence broker, lackie!
1621. Ainsworth, Annot. Numb. xv. 29. The heart and the eyes are the spies of the body, and brokers to bring it into transgression.
a. 1652. Calderwood, Hist. Kirk (1843), II. 24. Danvill … left behind him a broker betwixt him and the queene, Monsieur Chatelat.
1694. R. L’Estrange, Fables, cxxviii. (1714), 145. This Praying Carpenter here would have made Mercury a Broker to his Knavery.
5. A middleman, intermediary, or agent generally; an interpreter, messenger, commissioner.
1530. Palsgr., 201/2. Broker that speketh many languages, truchement [i.e., dragoman].
1576. Tyde taryeth no man, in Collier, Illustr. E. E. Pop. Lit., 12. Thou, Helpe, art a broker betweene man and man, Whereby much deceyte thou usest now and than.
1586. J. Hooker, in Holinshed, II. 91/2. Thomas foorth with sent his messengers … to his cousine the lord Butler … Wherevpon the lord Butler returned Thomas his brokers with this letter.
1593. Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., IV. i. 63. You shall giue me leaue To play the Broker in mine owne behalfe.
1600. Holland, Livy, XXVII. xv. 639. The brocher and broker both of the treason, had brought word.
1571. Hanmer, Chron. Irel., 196. These Nuntioes were so crafty, that they needed no Brokers.
1642. T. Taylor, God’s Judgem., I. I. xix. 61. As Truth got ever the upper hand … so the broakers and upholders of falshood came ever to the worse.
1864. Lowell, Study Wind. (1886), 118. The brokers of treason in the North.
† b. A legal agent, a proctor. Obs.
1538. Starkey, England, I. iii. § 29 (1871), 83. Prokturys and brokarys of both lawys, wych rather trowbul menny causys then fynysch them justely, are to many.
† c. frequently with implied censure. Obs.
c. 1510. Barclay, Mirr. Good Mann. (1570), G iv. Be no towler, catchpoll nor customer, No broker nor botcher, no somner nor sergeaunt.
1562. J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 135. Two false knaues neede no broker.
1586. T. B., La Primaud. Fr. Acad. (1594), 245. Flatterers, brokers, and such as are most wicked, carie away offices … & wastfully consume the publike treasure.
1595. Shaks., John, II. i. 568. That Broker, that still breakes the pate of faith, That dayly breake-vow, he that winnes of all.
1608. Dekker, Sev. Sins, VI. (Arb.), 40. Brokers yat shaue poore men by most iewish interest.
III. 6. A person licensed to sell or appraise household furniture distrained for rent.
1818. Act 57 Geo. III., xciii.
1836. Dickens, Sk. Boz, v. (1850), 16/1. ‘A broker’s man’s is not a life to be envied … people hate and scout ’em because they ’re the ministers of wretchedness, like, to poor people.’
1852. McCulloch, Comm. Dict., 198. Brokers, simply so called, in their character of appraisers and sellers of goods distrained for rent, are regulated by 57 Geo. III. c. 93.
Mod. The landlord put in the brokers yesterday, and all his furniture is gone.
7. Comb. broker-between = BROKER 3, 4; broker-woman; broker-like a.
1606. Shaks., Tr. & Cr., III. ii. 211. Let all inconstant men be Troylusses, all false women Cressids, and all brokers betweene Panders.
1723. Lond. Gaz., No. 6217/4. Elizabeth Boden … Broker-woman.
1607. Miseries Enf. Marr., III. in Hazl., Dodsley, IX. 512. What beards … gentlemenlike-beards, or brokerlike-beards?
