The doctor immediately disappeared, returning soon after with a couple of flasks of wine concealed in the folds of his frock. Through the agency of the Marquesan, he had purchased them from an understrapper of the court.

A fine state of affairs, when a fifteen-dollar-a-week understrapper’s job gets to interfering with the business of an institution like the Wapatomac National Bank.

1977, Ian Winterbottom, Baron Winterbottom, Hansard, House of Lords, The Tornado military aircraft, 9 May, 1977,
My Lords, if an understrapper from a television company talks to an understrapper of the RAF, you do not expect air marshals to jump.

Alfie was familiar with the term ‘understrapper’. The Harry Fielding Alfie knew was an understrapper; a bob-a-job man for MI5. Somebody who could do a bit of house- or office-breaking, or some surveillance work.

Understrapper

Meaning

Noun