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tip him the wink

English translation: make an invitation to him to be dishonest and receive a bribe

17:21 Sep 22, 2012
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
English term or phrase: tip him the wink
"And that," said Keogh, "is the way me and Henry Horsecollar introduced the phonograph into this country. Henry went back to the States, but I've been rummaging around in the tropics ever since. They say Mellinger never travelled a mile after that without his phonograph. I guess it kept him reminded about his graft whenever he saw the siren voice of the boodler tip him the wink with a bribe in its hand."

Thank you!
Michael Kislov
Russian Federation
Local time: 16:32
Selected answer:make an invitation to him to be dishonest and receive a bribe
Explanation:
In this story, "boodle" is used to mean a bribe, and "boodler" is the person who is offering it. "tip him the wink" means that the briber is making an illicit proposal to Mellinger, to get his cooperation in return for a bribe.
Selected response from:

Martin Riordan
Brazil
Local time: 10:32
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
5 +2give him a knowing wink [that his secret was known but would be kept confidential]
Alexander C. Thomson
4 +1make an invitation to him to be dishonest and receive a bribe
Martin Riordan


  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
give him a knowing wink [that his secret was known but would be kept confidential]


Explanation:
Not sure what part of the phonograph is being referred to as the ‘boodler’, whose literal meaning in the C19th was ‘cheat, cad’. I suppose it could be a reference to the nodding and swinging of the needle falling into place on the record, and/or the shape of the playing arm.

Alexander C. Thomson
Netherlands
Local time: 15:32
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in ScotsScots
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  AllegroTrans
20 hrs
agree  Phong Le
1 day 9 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
make an invitation to him to be dishonest and receive a bribe


Explanation:
In this story, "boodle" is used to mean a bribe, and "boodler" is the person who is offering it. "tip him the wink" means that the briber is making an illicit proposal to Mellinger, to get his cooperation in return for a bribe.

Example sentence(s):
  • to give someone a piece of secret or private information that might bring an advantage to them

    Reference: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/tip-sb-th...
Martin Riordan
Brazil
Local time: 10:32
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 275

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  AllegroTrans
20 hrs
  -> Thanks, AllegroTrans!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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