or -postillion, -sharp, -shark, subs. (common).—A clergyman or missionary. For synonyms, see DEVIL-DODGER and SKY-PILOT.
FRENCH SYNONYMS.—La forêt noire (thieves’ = the black forest); une entonne ramparte (thieves’); entonner = to intone); une antiffle (thieves’); une cavée (thieves’ = a black hole); une chique (thieves’).
SPANISH SYNONYM.—Salud.
ITALIAN SYNONYMS.—Balza; balzana.
1869. S. L. CLEMENS (‘Mark Twain’), The Innocents at Home, p. 19. ‘A what!’ ‘GOSPEL-SHARP—parson.’ ‘Oh! why did you not say so before? I am a clergyman—a parson.’
1877. BESANT and RICE, The Golden Butterfly, ch. viii. Else we should be as stagnant as a Connecticut GOSPEL-GRINDER in his village location.
