The Collaborative International Dictionary
Street \Street\ (str[=e]t), n. [OE. strete, AS. str[=ae]t, fr. L. strata (sc. via) a paved way, properly fem. p. p. of sternere, stratum, to spread; akin to E. strew. See Strew, and cf. Stratum, Stray, v. & a.]
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Originally, a paved way or road; a public highway; now commonly, a thoroughfare in a city or village, bordered by dwellings or business houses.
He removed [the body of] Amasa from the street unto the field.
--Coverdale.At home or through the high street passing.
--Milton.Note: In an extended sense, street designates besides the roadway, the walks, houses, shops, etc., which border the thoroughfare.
His deserted mansion in Duke Street.
--Macaulay. the roadway of a street[1], as distinguished from the sidewalk; as, children playing in the street.
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the inhabitants of a particular street; as, the whole street knew about their impending divorce. The street (Broker's Cant), that thoroughfare of a city where the leading bankers and brokers do business; also, figuratively, those who do business there; as, the street would not take the bonds. on the street,
homeless.
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unemployed. (a) not in prison, or released from prison; the murderer is still on the street.
Street Arab, Street broker, etc. See under Arab, Broker, etc.
Street door, a door which opens upon a street, or is nearest the street.
street person, a homeless person; a vagrant.
Syn: See Way.
Arab \Ar"ab\ (?; 277), n. [Prob. ultimately fr. Heb. arabah a desert, the name employed, in the Old Testament, to denote the valley of the Jordan and Dead Se
Ar. Arab, He
arabi, arbi, arbim: cf. F. Arabe, L. Arabs, Gr. ?.] One of a swarthy race occupying Arabia, and numerous in Syria, Northern Africa, et
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Street Arab, a homeless vagabond in the streets of a city, particularly and outcast boy or girl.
--Tylor.The ragged outcasts and street Arabs who are shivering in damp doorways.
--Lon Sat. Rev. [1913 Webster] ||
Wiktionary
n. (context dated now offensive English) A homeless child who roams the streets, usually begging for handouts; a street urchin.
WordNet
Usage examples of "street arab".
His figure interested her--the figure of a boy, almost a street arab.
A little street arab was hanging about, and I paid him to carry my message.
He had, in fact, descended so far and so low that he found himself, when a boy, a sort of street Arab in that city.
That scene came from the very end of the picture, when God decides that the young street Arab has done enough good deeds to redeem himself, and accepts His errant son into the Kingdom of Heaven.
And here is the aggravated form--heard a ragged street Arab say it to a comrade: ’.
For dinner she served whatever came to mind, forgetting to eat herself and opening a window instead to beg a street Arab to let Meg have a ride on his horse.