Meanings
catchpole1
plural catchpoles · alternative catchpoll
- obsoleteA taxman, one who gathers taxes.
With two such catchpoles as Henry and Uncle Fred at his heels there was nothing left for Grandpa Piper but to sign his abdication to the drapery business.
1930, Norman Lindsay, Redheap, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, →OCLC, page 247 - A sheriff’s officer, usually one who arrests debtors.
catchpole2
plural catchpoles · alternative catch-pole
- historicalAn implement formerly used for seizing and securing a person who would otherwise be out of reach.
The use of the catch-pole is said to have been to take horsemen in battle by the neck and drag them from their horses.
1843, Henry Shaw, Dresses and Decorations of the Middle Ages, W PickeringSynonyms: man catcher
Catchpole3
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAn implement formerly used for seizing and securing a person who would otherwise be out of reach.
Origin
catchpole · noun
- Old Frenchchacepol“one who chases fowls”
- Englishcatchpole
From Old French chacepol (“one who chases fowls”) (or a northern variant thereof).
More words from Old French
Full word history & related roots →Catchpole · proper noun
- Anglo-Normancachepole
- EnglishCatchpole
From Anglo-Norman cachepole, a compound of cachier (“to catch”) + pol (“fowl”), a nickname given to a bailiff, originally empowered to seize poultry and other livestock in case of default on debts or taxes.
More words from Anglo-Norman
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Czech dráb, biřic
- drábsheriff's officer
- biřicsheriff's officer
Polish egzekutor, komornik
- egzekutorsheriff's officer
- komorniksheriff's officer
- widłochwytan implement used for seizing and securing a person
Spanish pértiga atrapadora, pertigal capturador
- pértiga atrapadoraan implement used for seizing and securing a person
- pertigal capturadoran implement used for seizing and securing a person
Cite this entry
catchpole. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/catchpole
“catchpole.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/catchpole. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “catchpole,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/catchpole.
Source: catchpole on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.