long firm en · NOUN
Etymology
* Perhaps from the idea that such a firm (company) would claim to have been established for a long time. * Perhaps from Old English gelang (“fraudulent”) and Italian firma (“signature”).
Meanings
- A company of swindlers who obtain goods on pretence of being established in business, and then decamp without payment to do the same elsewhere.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| long firms | Number=Plur | lexicographic |