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Pinkerton

American

[ping-ker-tuhn] / ˈpɪŋ kər tən /

noun

Allan, 1819–84, U.S. detective, born in Scotland.

Pinkerton British

/ ˈpɪŋkətən /

noun

Allan. 1819–84, US private detective, born in Scotland. He founded the first detective agency in the US (1850) and organized an intelligence system for the Federal States of America (1861)

"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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In this case, however, you do not need to make a grand declaration with Pinkerton guards standing by.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 4, 2026

Brandy Pinkerton, 44, had a child while she was a teenager so didn’t get a chance to travel until her son went off to college.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026

Speaking in Parliament, the Liberal Democrats' Europe spokesperson Al Pinkerton told MPs his customs union bill would "cut red tape, unlock investment and restore certainty to British business".

From BBC • Dec. 9, 2025

Tenor Jonathan Tetelman’s Pinkerton is a bit more wooden, but maybe intentionally so.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 25, 2024

“Because the sister is so superstitious, Mr. Pinkerton believes we can get her to reveal the secrets to this murder scheme,” Aunt Kitty said.

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023