ˈstock-ˌjobbing, vbl. n. and ppl. a.
A. vbl. n. The business of a stock-jobber; buying and selling of stock as practised by a jobber; loosely, speculative dealing in stocks and shares.
Often with unfavourable implication of rash or dishonest speculation; esp. with reference to the abuses of the early 18th c., which led to condemnation by Act of Parliament (see quot. 1734).
| 1692 Motteux Gentl. Jrnl. I. 12 The modern Trade, or rather Game, called Stock-Jobbing. 1694 J. Houghton Collect. Improv. Husb. No. 97 ¶1 Joint Stocks, and of the various dealings therein, commonly called Stock-Jobbing. a 1700 B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, Stock-jobbing, a sharp, cunning, cheating Trade of Buying and Selling Shares of Stock in East-India, Guinea and other Companies; also in the Bank, Exchequer, &c. 1711 Steele Spect. No. 114 ¶5 Usury, Stock-jobbing, Extortion and Oppression, have their Seed in the Dread of Want. 1734 Act 7 Geo. II, c. 8 §1 The wicked, pernicious and destructive Practice of Stock-jobbing. 1874 L. Stephen Hours in Libr. (1892) II. iv. 117 The selfishness which degrades political warfare into a branch of stock-jobbing. 1888 E. J. Goodman Too Curious xii, All that has been said about stock-jobbing being morally as bad as betting on racehorses. |
B. ppl. a. (and attrib. use of the vbl. n.). That deals in stocks and shares; concerned with this business or traffic.
| a 1692 H. Pollexfen Disc. Trade (1697) A 5 b, To advance Stocks, and Stock-Jobbing Trades. 1719 D'Urfey Pills II. 324 So may your wise Stock-jobbing Crimp go on. 1790 Burke Fr. Rev. 77 All you have got for the present is a paper circulation, and a stock-jobbing constitution. 1823 W. Cobbett Rur. Rides (1885) I. 321 Margate..is..thickly settled with stock-jobbing cuckolds at this time of the year. 1888 E. J. Goodman Too Curious xxii, This is really no stock-jobbing dodge, but a bonâ-fide thing. |