different between informer vs supergrass

English

Alternative forms

• informor (obsolete, rare)
• informour (obsolete, rare)

Etymology

inform +? -er

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -??(r)m?(r)

Noun

informer (plural informers)

1. One who informs someone else about something.
2. A person who tells authorities about improper or illegal activity.
3. One who informs, animates, or inspires.
   • 1729, Alexander Pope, Prologue to Sophonisba (by James Thomson

     Nature, informer of the poet's art.

Synonyms

• See Thesaurus:informant

Translations

See also

• name names

Anagrams

• reinform, reniform

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin ?nf?rm?, ?nf?rm?re.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??.f??.me/

Verb

informer

1. to inform; to enlighten; to impart knowledge (upon)

2. (reflexive) to inquire

Conjugation

Related terms

• information
• former

Further reading

• “informer” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Latin

Verb

?nf?rmer

1. first-person singular present passive subjunctive of ?nf?rm?

Norwegian Bokmål

Verb

informer

1. imperative of informere

English

Etymology

super- +? grass, from grass, British/Irish slang word for an informer.

Noun

supergrass (plural supergrasses)

1. An informer providing substantial quantities of information on criminal or terrorist activities to the police.
   • 2000, D. Walsh, Bloody Sunday and the Rule of Law in Northern Ireland (page 241)

     In several cases the supergrass spent days in the witness box giving evidence of scores of offences allegedly committed by many individuals over a period of years.