man in the moon
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The gentleman who is supposed to find the "pieces" to pay election expenditure and electors’ expenses, so long as the latter vote his way. See ELECTION INQUIRIES.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “man in the moon” mean?
The gentleman who is supposed to find the "pieces" to pay election expenditure and electors’ expenses, so long as the latter vote his way. See ELECTION INQUIRIES.
Is “man in the moon” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.