wheeler-dealer

Also found in: Idioms, Wikipedia.

wheel·er-deal·er

(wē′lər-dē′lər, hwē′-)

n. Informal

One who advances one's own interests by canny, aggressive, or unscrupulous behavior.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

wheeler-dealer

informal a person who wheels and deals

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

wheel′er-deal′er

or wheel′er and deal′er,

a clever or crafty person who devises intricate, highly profitable schemes and transactions, as in business or politics.

[1950–55]

Translations

wheeler-dealer

[ˈwiːləˌdiːləʳ] N → chanchullero/a m/f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

wheeler-dealer

[ˌ^hwiːlə^rˈdiːlə^r] n (= dishonest negotiator) → magouilleur/euse m/f, affairiste mf

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

wheeler-dealer

n (inf) → Schlitzohr nt (inf), → gerissener Typ (inf); (in finance also) → Geschäftemacher(in) m(f)

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

wheeler-dealer

[ˈwiːləˌdiːləʳ] n → trafficone/a

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in ?

References in periodicals archive ?

A wheeler-dealer was able to sell 'two good lines,' or frequencies, to two telecommunications firms that wanted to sell it to the government even if these were supposed to be free, according to President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday.

Wheeler-dealer sold 'good lines' to telcos - Duterte

That's because the BBC own the rights and Sir David Jason, 75, who played wheeler-dealer Del and Nicholas Lyndhurst, who played plonker brother Rodney, will only get a couple of hundred quid for repeats compared to thousands they get for BBC re-runs.

Beeb's nice little earner from Del

Impressive multihyphenate Lyes Salem directs, writes and stars in this epic drama about Algerian independence, seen through the relationship of two men, one a modest idealist, the other a consummate wheeler-dealer. Multiple award wins at festivals including Abu Dhabi and Brussels should catch programmers' attention.

The Man From Oran

The tax would impose a levy on wheeler-dealer transactions, with money raised being used to fund public services.

Nighy movies in on traders

"It's a misapprehension that I am a Jack-the-lad wheeler-dealer. I have been saddled with that because I have a cockney accent, but I am straight and honest" - Football manager Harry Redknapp.

They say

One day while in a small town, Dad talked to a wheeler-dealer who bought, sold and traded almost anything to make a few dollars.

Finding his first truck: restoration underway now on 1922 ford

Children can meet a wheeler-dealer fox, an eccentric old owl and a maraca-shaking, party-mad snake!

The Gruffalo is heading to city

Banners reading 'Anderson Out' have been on display at Rovers games, but sources close to the wheeler-dealer say he has not been at his one-time training ground HQ for 11 MONTHS.

Jerome fault? Oh no it's not; SPORT CONFIDENTIAL

Well done then to John Sullivan, creator of beloved national institution Only Fools And Horses, for making this prequel about Del Boy's fledgling wheeler-dealer days so good.

BEST DEL BOY

A WHEELER-dealer dubbed a "professional handler" after racking up 17 convictions involving stolen goods has failed to persuade top judges to cut his jail term.

'Handler' fails in appeal

It has been a relatively quiet summer for the wheeler-dealer manager and he has now ruled out Peter Crouch leaving the club.

Harry Redknapp speaks before City clash

They are being invited to join Mouse on his adventurous journey through the deep, dark wood as he meets a wheeler-dealer fox, an eccentric owl and a party-mad snake.