shroff

plural shroffs · alternative obsolete sheroff · alternative obsolete sheraffe · alternative obsolete sheriffe · alternative obsolete sharoffe · alternative obsolete sherrafe · alternative obsolete shraff · alternative obsolete shrofe · alternative obsolete sheraff · alternative obsolete shraf

1. IndiaA provider of financial services, especially a small-scale independent banker or money changer or (historical) a local expert at detecting bad coin.

   The sheraffs are poore and begerly.

   1618, cited in William Foster, The English Factories in India..., page 8

   3 more examples

   Amongſt whom were Shroffs, or Money-changers.

   1698, John Fryer, “Views the Malabar and Canatick Coasts up to Bombaim”, in A New Account of East-India and Persia, in Eight Letters. Being Nine Years Travels, Begun 1672. And Finished 1681. […], London: […] R[obert] R[oberts] for Ri[chard] Chiswell, letter I (Containing a Twelve Month’s Voyage Through Divers Climates), page 52

   The breakfast soon dispatch'd, they're off, To borrow money from a shroff.

   1816, 'Quiz', The Grand Master..., canto ii, ll. 18 f.

   Racing leads to the shroff quicker than anything else.

   1888, Rudyard Kipling, ‘The Broken-Link Handicap’, Plain Tales from the Hills, fol. 2005, page 110

2. Hong KongA cashier, especially for a car park.

   An assistant shroff of the Queen Mary Hospital faced Mr. J. Reynolds at Central yesterday charged with the larceny of $10.

   1950 November 3, South China Morning Post, page 7

   1 more example

   It is a source of endless fascination to newcomers to Hong Kong to observe types of employment in the city rarely seen in other parts of the world. Where, away from here, would you come across a shroff, for example?

   2006 July 29, South China Morning Post, page 12

3. Hong KongThe office of such a cashier at a car park etc.

present singular third person shroffs · participle present shroffing · participle past shroffed · past shroffed · alternative obsolete sheroff · alternative obsolete sheraffe · alternative obsolete sheriffe · alternative obsolete sharoffe · alternative obsolete sherrafe · alternative obsolete shraff · alternative obsolete shrofe · alternative obsolete sheraff · alternative obsolete shraf

1. IndiatransitiveTo act as a shroff, especially (historical) to inspect coins to detect debasement, counterfeits, clipping, etc. for a commission.

   I represented... that the money could not be divided till it was shroffed.

   1757 July 7, Robert Clive, letter, cited in John Malcolm, Life of Robert, Lord Clive, Vol. I, page 278

   1 more example

   The potential revenues of China are immense, but they are ‘shroffed’... by every hand through which they pass.

   1906 April 14, Saturday Review, page 451

plural Shroffs

1. A surname from Hindi, Urdu, Persian, or Arabic, of Indian usage.

   Dunn’s attorney, Sabrina Shroff, during closing arguments on Wednesday, said that the confrontation was the result of his “strongly held feelings” about immigration enforcement, NBC News reported.

   2025 November 6, Dan Mangan, “DC sandwich thrower Sean Dunn found not guilty of assaulting federal agent”, in CNBC