bindle stiff

See also: bindlestiff

English

Etymology

From bindle, a hobo’s sack.

Noun

bindle stiff (plural bindle stiffs)

1. A hobo, misfit, criminal, wanderer, or drifting harvest worker.
   • 1937, John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Covici Friede:

     “So maybe you better jus’ scatter along now, ’cause Curley maybe ain’t gonna like his wife out in the barn with us ‘bindle stiffs.’ ”

   • 1983, Clive Cussler, “Pacific Vortex!”, in Dirk Pitt Series, volume 1, Random House LLC, →ISBN, page 80:

     He felt like a toss-up between a bindle stiff and a skid row derelict.

Synonyms

• bindle punk