pimp

[ pimp ]

See synonyms for pimp on Thesaurus.com

noun

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.
a despicable person.

Australia and New Zealand. an informer; stool pigeon.

verb (used without object)

to act as a pimp, soliciting customers for a prostitute or brothel in return for a share of the earnings.
to engage in promotion or publicizing:She's used her blog before to pimp for her brother's band.

verb (used with object)

to act as a pimp for, procuring customers for a prostitute or brothel (sometimes followed by out):It won't be long before the so-called boyfriend starts pimping her out.
to promote; sell:We'll send you albums and pimp your websites on ours.

to exploit: You've been accused of pimping your friendships, using them as material for your novels.
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.
to make more appealing; rejuvenate; elevate; jazz up (sometimes followed by up or out):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.

Origin of pimp

First recorded in 1630–40; origin uncertain

Words Nearby pimp

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use pimp in a sentence

Zola quickly susses out that Stefani’s “roommate” is really her pimp, and he plans to put the two women on the market together.
Zola Is a Wild Road Trip Movie That Works Against All Odds | Stephanie Zacharek | June 25, 2021 | Time
As Washington celebrated its first NL East title in 2012 on the field at Nationals Park, González lovingly referred to Nationals principal owner Mark Lerner, who was recovering from foot surgery, as “the pimp with the limp.”
Despite his playoff failings, Gio González’s days with the Nats were the cat’s meow | Scott Allen | March 26, 2021 | Washington Post
I remember interviewing one guy, a pimp who went by the name of Jackknife, and him telling us this story about a woman who fled that works for him, and he cut the soles of her feet with a razor blade.
Mariana van Zeller’s Take on Pimps and How to End the Drug War | Eugene Robinson | January 13, 2021 | Ozy
Most of us, if we encountered that many kind of scary situations — Sinaloa, drug trafficking, pimps, what have you — we’re going to go the other direction.
Mariana van Zeller’s Take on Pimps and How to End the Drug War | Eugene Robinson | January 13, 2021 | Ozy
He said that they’re in a truly difficult situation because their passports have been taken away by the mafia pimps who control them.
Pope’s “Robin Hood” Gives Money To Jobless Transgender Sex Workers | D. N. | May 2, 2020 | No Straight News

He has said he believes Al Sharpton is a “race pimp” and a pig.
How James Woods Became Obama’s Biggest Twitter Troll | Asawin Suebsaeng | December 31, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Amirpour sees the pimp as a liberator rather than a predator.
The Punk Behind Iran's Only Vampire Spaghetti Western-Style Love Story | Melissa Leon | November 21, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Two men also were found dead inside, one of them the reported pimp.
Who’s Murdering Baghdad’s Prostitutes? | Jacob Siegel | July 15, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Clarence ends up killing the pimp, and instead of taking her clothes, walks away with a briefcase full of cocaine.
Most Overlooked Romance Films for Valentine’s Day Weekend: ‘True Romance,’ ‘His Girl Friday,’ More | Marlow Stern | February 15, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Would it have been better if I had a song that said, ‘I am a gangster’ or ‘I am a pimp’?
The 16 Most Batsh*t Moments in Kanye West’s Radio 1 Interview | Nico Hines | September 24, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
In those false, fascinating pages he is a consummate scoundrel, "a mere cringing courtier and a pimp."
Court Beauties of Old Whitehall | W. R. H. Trowbridge
Pander, pan′dėr, n. one who procures for another the means of gratifying his passions: a pimp.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R) | Various
pimp, pimp, n. one who procures gratifications for the lust of others: a pander.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R) | Various
As long as you've been a pimp, you should fall for that stuff—Screw—get out of my sight.
Hookers | Richard F. Mann
Inmate Nellie says she turns her earnings over to her pimp, X 74.
Commercialized Prostitution in New York City | George Jackson Kneeland

British Dictionary definitions for pimp (1 of 2)

pimp¹

/ (pɪmp) /

noun

a man who solicits for a prostitute or brothel and lives off the earnings
a man who procures sexual gratification for another; procurer; pander

verb

(intr) to act as a pimp
(tr) slang to adapt or embellish in an ostentatious manner

Origin of pimp

C17: of unknown origin

British Dictionary definitions for pimp (2 of 2)

pimp²

/ (pɪmp) slang, mainly Australian and NZ /

noun

a spy or informer

verb

(intr often foll by on) to inform (on)

Origin of pimp

of unknown origin

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

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