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Where does the word "boodle" come from? It comes from Dutch boedel, and was adopted directly into English (1830s).
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Where does the word "boodle" come from? It comes from Dutch boedel, and was adopted directly into English (1830s).
Boodle’s story begins in Dutch: boedel meant “property.” An estate or household property. It reached English by 1830s as boodle. New York slang for a crowd, then for bribe money in Tammany Hall politics. Today, boodle means money, especially gained by bribery.
- Stage 1 · Dutch · 1600s boedel "property", an estate or household property.
- Stage 2 · American English · 1830s boodle "bribe money", New York slang for a crowd, then for bribe money in Tammany Hall politics.