banker (2)

[Eng. bank; -er. In Sw. bankör; Dut. & Ger. bankier; Fr. banquier; Sp. banquero Port. bankueiro; Ital. banchiere.] [BANK.] He 1. One whose profe ion or occupation it is to conduct banking operations. He takes in money for safe keeping, and, as a rule, allows interest on it, to repay which and obtain a profit for himself or for his employers, he seeks to place out a great part of what he has received as advantageously as he can. prospers if his investments are good, but is the cause of tremendous disaster if, lending what has been entrusted to him on bad security, he find it not again recoverable. "Whole droves of lenders crowd the banker's doors, To call in money. Dryden. 2. One who raises banks as a barrier against river-floods, encroachments of the sea, . 3. A drain-digger, ditcher. ( North .)