STREET ARAB • DICTIONARY ONE.COM • Definition of Street arab

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/strit ˈærəb/ Listen

noun

Arab n. One of a swarthy race occupying Arabia, and numerous in Syria, Northern Africa, etc.

Street Arab, a homeless vagabond in the streets of a city, particularly and outcast boy or girl. "The ragged outcasts and street Arabs who are shivering in damp doorways."

Street n.

1.

Originally, a paved way or road; a public highway; now commonly, a thoroughfare in a city or village, bordered by dwellings or business houses. "He removed (the body of) Amasa from the street unto the field." "At home or through the high street passing." Note: In an extended sense, street designates besides the roadway, the walks, houses, shops, etc., which border the thoroughfare. "His deserted mansion in Duke Street."

2.

The roadway of a street (1), as distinguished from the sidewalk; as, children playing in the street.

3.

The inhabitants of a particular street; as, the whole street knew about their impending divorce.

The street (Broker's Cant), that thoroughfare of a city where the leading bankers and brokers do business; also, figuratively, those who do business there; as, the street would not take the bonds.

on the street,

(a)

homeless.

(b)

unemployed.

(a)

not in prison, or released from prison; the murderer is still on the street.

Street Arab, Street broker, etc. See under Arab, Broker, etc.

Street door, a door which opens upon a street, or is nearest the street.

street person, a homeless person; a vagrant.

Synonyms: See Way.

See images of 'Street arab'

Etymology of 'Street arab'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Street arab" Quotes from Famous Books

... by selling newspapers and other such things. This day everything seemed to go against him, and in despair he threw himself down in the dark alley, with his papers by his side. A few boys gathered around the poor lad, and asked in a kind way (for a street Arab): "Say, Johnny, why don't you go to the lodges?" (The lodge was a place where almost all the boys stayed at night, costing but a few cents.) But the poor little lad could only murmur that he could not stir, and called the boys about him, saying: "I am dying now, because I feel so queer: and I can ...

— Children's Edition of Touching Incidents and Remarkable Answers to Prayer • S. B. Shaw

... presumptuous to suppose that if an animal after only three or four generations of training be restored to its original conditions of life, it will forget its intermediate training and return to its old ways, almost as readily as a London street Arab would forget the beneficial effects of a weeks training in a reformatory school, if he were then turned loose again on the streets. So if we hatch wild ducks' eggs under a tame duck, the ducklings "will have scarce left the egg-shell when they obey the instincts ...

— Life and Habit • Samuel Butler

... obstacle. No portion of the piled-up stones was higher than a man. In a good third of the barricade the stones did not reach above the knee. "It will at all events be good enough to get killed in," said a little street Arab who was rolling numerous flag-stones to the barricade. A hundred combatants took up their position behind it. Towards nine o'clock the movements of the troops gave warning of the attack. The head of the column of the Marulaz Brigade occupied the corner of the street ...

— The History of a Crime - The Testimony of an Eye-Witness • Victor Hugo

... excitedly in whispers and the boy who had just entered gave the street arab some money. Then together they tiptoed into the other room and down a flight of rickety steps into the cellar. This cellar connected with another cellar of large size that was used as ...

— The Master Mystery • Arthur B. Reeve and John W. Grey

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