[f. LEVANT v.1 + -ER1.] One who absconds; esp. one who does so after losing bets.

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1781.  G. Parker, View Society, II. 168. Levanters, these are of the order and number of Black-Legs. Ibid., 170. If the horse which the Levanter betted upon has lost.

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1811.  Sporting Mag., XXXVII. 303. Newmarket Levanter!

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1833.  New Sporting Mag., V. 35. Boulogne whose inhabitants are partly composed of broken-down sportsmen and Levanters.

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1888.  Traill, Will. III., iv. (1892), 36. A royal martyr is a much more impressive object than a royal levanter.

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