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Glite Dictionary
Fagin

Fagin

8 9.9
A cruel man in Oliver Twist who leads boys to steal for him
  • proper noun
  • /ˈfeɪɡɪn/
  • Literature
: Fagin
  • N1: Bill drops Oliver off at Fagin's place and hobbles home.
  • Fagin and Oliver
  • Fagin and Bill

And he, in essence, became like a Fagin.

Examples

  • 'And what have you got, my dear?' said Fagin to Charley Bates.

    Academic text (2005)

  • And that's why you paid Fagin to keep Oliver a prisoner.

    Oliver Twist (1982)

  • Our old Fagin is back.

    The Brothers Bloom (2008)

  • Bye, Mr. Fagin, and thank you.

    Oliver & Company (1988)

  • What am I gonna do with you, Fagin?

    Oliver & Company (1988)

  • Bill brought the jewelry to Fagin for him to sell.

    Academic text (2010)

  • Go down to Fagin's and get the cash, will you?

    Oliver! (1968)

  • N2: When darkness falls, Fagin takes Oliver's new clothes and gives him rags to wear.

    Academic text (2010)

  • N4: Back at Fagin's place, the Artful Dodger is in trouble.

    Academic text (2010)

  • In Charles Dickens' 'Oliver Twist', Fagin led a gang of child thieves to do his bidding.

Surface Forms

Fagin main

Etymology

Fagin comes from the name of a cruel character in Charles Dickens' novel 'Oliver Twist' who taught a gang of children to steal. Today Fagin is used to mean a person who trains or uses children for 'stealing', so the original story explains the word's modern meaning.