receiver-general
1. A chief receiver, esp. of public revenues. (Also † general receiver.)
In Great Britain now only as the title of an official of the Duchy of Lancaster. In some of the United States of America an additional title of the State Treasurer.
| 1439 Rolls of Parlt. V. 7/2 Delivered bi the Receyvours Generall of the saide Duchies. 1460 Ibid. 383/1 In and of all our said Duchie [of Lancaster], ther hath been..oon general Receyvour. 1509–10 Act 1 Hen. VIII, c. 3 The Kyng..entendythe that divers Revenues & Duetys dewe..to hys Highnes shalbe payde to..his generall Receyvor. 1540 Act 32 Hen. VIII, c. 46 §31 To make payment to the kinges receyvour generall. 1607 in Cowell Interpr. 1630 R. Johnson's Kingd. & Commw. 167 Treasurer of the Exchequer, instituted in Francis the first his time, in place of the Receiver generall. 1656 Pub. Gen. Acts 217 The Receivers-General for this whole Six Moneths Assessment shall..Receive from the Receivers-General of the respective Counties, Cities, and Places,..the Sums of Money..to be Taxed. 1702 Lond. Gaz. No. 3825/3 Receiver-General of the Rights and Perquisites of the Admiralty. 1705 Ibid. No. 4104/3 The Receiver-General for Prizes. 1709 Ibid. No. 4535/3 Late Receiver-General for the County of Suffolk. 1839 Alison Hist. Europe (1849–50) VII. xlii. §16. 99 The receivers-general of the service were invited to deposit the sums they had drawn. 1876 Bancroft Hist. U.S. IV. xiv. 413 Having voted to pay no more money to the royal collector, they chose a receiver-general of their own, and instituted a system of provincial taxation. |
| fig. 1809 Malkin Gil Blas vii. iii. ¶3, I mean to make you the receiver-general of all my inmost ruminations. |
† 2. transf. a. slang. A prostitute.
Obs. b. Pugilists' slang. (See
quot. 1903.)
Obs.| 1811 Lexicon Balatronicum, Receiver General, a prostitute. 1821 P. Egan Boxiana III. 356 It was evident M‘Dermot was doomed to be a Receiver-General; although he had nobbed Purcell over the right eye..Purcell had the best of it. 1829 Ibid. 2nd Ser. II. 180 Dick was now a receiver-general, and his mug was severely bruised. 1903 Farmer & Henley Slang VI. 5/1 Receiver-general..(pugilists'), a boxer giving nothing for what he gets. |
Hence
receiver-generalship.
| 1874 Daily News 2 June 5/5 A Minister of Finance's patronage comprised receiver-generalships [etc.]. |