agiotage
(ˈædʒɪəʊtɪdʒ)
[a. Fr. agiotage, n. of action, f. agioter to speculate, f. agio: see agio and -age. The t is purely connective in Fr., doubtless in imitation of the mute t in words like ballot, which is sounded in ballotage. For the same reason agio was written in the 2nd ed. of the Dictionary of the Academy agiot.]
Exchange business; hence, loosely, speculation in buying and selling public stocks and shares; stock-jobbing.
| 1829 Landor Imag. Conv. xlvii. Wks. 1846 I. 279 Vanity and agiotage are to a Parisian the oxygen and hydrogen of life. 1865 Pall Mall G. 22 Dec. 10 The Minister of Commerce and Public Works has issued an order against agiotage. It is forbidden to impose any agio in changing the pontifical currency. 1880 Disraeli Endym. III. 61 What they mean by peace is agiotage, shares at a premium, and bubble companies. |