Also 8 saucar, 9 sahoukar, soukar, sowcar. [ad. Urdū (Hindī) sāhūkār great merchant, etc.] A Hindoo banker or money-lender.
1785. Burke, Sp. on Nabob of Arcot’s Debts, Wks. VI. 289. When a saucar, that is a money dealer, becomes security for any native prince [etc.].
1799. Wellington, Suppl. Desp. (1858), I. 378. A debt due by him to a soucar, by name of Rugobah.
1858. J. B. Norton, Topics, 180. When these new tenants are wealthy soucars, or servants of the Government, they will not cultivate the soil themselves.
1875. J. Wilson, in G. Smith, Life, App. (1878), 633. Money which he had borrowed from Soukars and bankers.
1883. Madras Mail, 5 Dec., 22/2. The Indian Sowcar has come to possess a notoriety hardly surpassed by that of the European Jew.
attrib. 1785. Burke, Sp. on Nabob of Arcot’s Debts, Wks. VI. 237. The right honourable gentleman’s favourite soucar cavalry.
Hence Soucaring, money-lending.
1785. Burke, Sp. on Nabob of Arcot’s Debts, Wks. VI. 237. The whole art and mystery … of the profession of soucaring.
