Usually means: Streetwise salesman exploiting black-market opportunities.
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We found 25 dictionaries that define the word spiv:

General (20 matching dictionaries)
  1. spiv: Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
  2. spiv: Merriam-Webster
  3. spiv: Oxford Learner's Dictionaries
  4. spiv: American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language
  5. spiv: Collins English Dictionary
  6. spiv: Vocabulary.com
  7. spiv: Wordnik
  8. spiv: Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary
  9. spiv: Wiktionary
  10. spiv: Webster's New World College Dictionary, 4th Ed.
  11. spiv: Infoplease Dictionary
  12. spiv: Dictionary.com
  13. spiv: Online Etymology Dictionary
  14. Spiv: Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
  15. spiv: Rhymezone
  16. spiv: FreeDictionary.org
  17. spiv: Mnemonic Dictionary
  18. spiv: TheFreeDictionary.com
  19. Spiv: World Wide Words

Miscellaneous (2 matching dictionaries)
  1. SPIV: Acronym Finder
  2. spiv: Wordcraft Dictionary

Slang (3 matching dictionaries)
  1. spiv, spiv: Green’s Dictionary of Slang
  2. spiv: English slang and colloquialisms used in the United Kingdom
  3. spiv: Urban Dictionary

(Note: See spivs as well.)

Definitions from Wiktionary (
)
American English Definition British English Definition
noun:  (UK, Ireland, historical) A smartly dressed person who trades in illicit, black-market or stolen goods, especially during World War II.
noun:  (UK, Ireland, dated) A flashy con artist, often homeless, who lives by his wits.
noun:  (UK, Ireland, dated, Scotland Yard) A low and common thief.
noun:  (UK, Ireland, dated) A slacker; one who shirks responsibility.

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