pimp

[ pimp ]

noun

1. 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.
2. a despicable person.
3. Australia and New Zealand. an informer; stool pigeon.

verb (used without object)

1. to act as a pimp, soliciting customers for a prostitute or brothel in return for a share of the earnings.
2. to engage in promotion or publicizing:

   She's used her blog before to pimp for her brother's band.

verb (used with object)

1. 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.

2. to promote; sell:

   We'll send you albums and pimp your websites on ours.

3. to exploit:

   You've been accused of pimping your friendships, using them as material for your novels.

4. 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.

5. to make more appealing; rejuvenate; elevate; jazz up (sometimes followed by up or out): This article on pimping your skincare routine is all about buying new products.

   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.

pimp

¹

/ pɪmp /

noun

1. a spy or informer

verb

1. introften foll byon to inform (on)

pimp

²

/ pɪmp /

noun

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

verb

1. intr to act as a pimp
2. slang.
   NEW.FOR.DICT.COM tr to adapt or embellish in an ostentatious manner

Word History and Origins

Origin of pimp¹

First recorded in 1630–40; origin uncertain

Word History and Origins

Origin of pimp¹

of unknown origin

Origin of pimp²

C17: of unknown origin

Example Sentences

Zola quickly susses out that Stefani’s “roommate” is really her pimp, and he plans to put the two women on the market together.

From 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.”

From 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.

From 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.

From 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.

From No Straight News

He has said he believes Al Sharpton is a “race pimp” and a pig.

From The Daily Beast

Amirpour sees the pimp as a liberator rather than a predator.

From The Daily Beast

Two men also were found dead inside, one of them the reported pimp.

From The Daily Beast

Clarence ends up killing the pimp, and instead of taking her clothes, walks away with a briefcase full of cocaine.

From The Daily Beast

Would it have been better if I had a song that said, ‘I am a gangster’ or ‘I am a pimp’?

From The Daily Beast

In those false, fascinating pages he is a consummate scoundrel, "a mere cringing courtier and a pimp."

From Project Gutenberg

Pander, pan′dėr, n. one who procures for another the means of gratifying his passions: a pimp.

From Project Gutenberg

Pimp, pimp, n. one who procures gratifications for the lust of others: a pander.

From Project Gutenberg

As long as you've been a Pimp, you should fall for that stuff—Screw—get out of my sight.

From Project Gutenberg

Inmate Nellie says she turns her earnings over to her pimp, X 74.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• hustler