Meaning of petroleur | Babel Free

Definitions

One who lights fires with petrol, especially (historical) a revolutionary who attacked public buildings in this way in Paris in 1871.

Equivalents

Examples

“Caution was necessary in moving about, the pavement had to be avoided, as the impression conveyed to the mind of the sentry, if he saw anyone near a house, was that it must be a petroleur or a petroleuse.”

“1877, quoted in 1990, Walter Boehlich, The Letters of Sigmund Freud to Eduard Silberstein, 1871-1881# In times like these one is tempted to turn into a petroleur.”

“The work of the incendiaries of 1792 was only to be finished by the petroleurs of 1871. Night was come. A great number of the Parisian population were groaning, but the revolutionists triumphed with joy.”

CEFR level