robber (n.)

“Robber”在12世纪晚期的意思是：“一位通过暴力非法抢劫、偷盗、掠夺或剥夺的罪犯。” 这源自于盎格鲁-法国语 robbere，古法语 robeor，是由 rober 的动作名词组成的，此动词的意思是“抢劫、盗窃、掠夺、洗劫、强奸”（参见 rob）。

“贪婪腐败的金融家”意义中的 Robber baron 来自1870年代，将“镀金时代”（Gilded Age）的资本家与中世纪欧洲军阀相比较形成的，但这个短语历史意义上的用法可以追溯到1831年。

It is the attempt of the more shrewd to take advantage of the less shrewd. It is the attempt of the strong to oppress the weak. It is the old robber baron in his castle descending, after men have planted their crops, and stealing them. [Henry Ward Beecher, sermon, "Truthfulness," 1871]

这就是更狡猾的人试图利用不够狡猾的人。这就是强者欺压弱者的尝试。这就是旧时的抢劫男爵进入他的城堡，在人们种好庄稼之后，将所有收获偷走。[亨利·沃德·比彻(Henry Ward Beecher)的布道：“真诚”，1871年]

Regulation by combination means that the railroad managers are feudal lords and that you are their serfs. It means that every car load of grain or other produce of your fields and shops that passes over the New York Central shall pay heavy toll for right of transit to Vanderbilt, the robber baron of our modern feudalism, who dominates that way. [W.C. Flagg, testimony to Congress, 1874]

组合监管意味着铁路经理人是封建领主，你们是他们的农奴。这意味着你们田地和商店里的每一车谷物或其它产品，在穿越纽约中央铁路时，都将向范德比尔特(Vanderbilt)交纳巨额过路费，这位现代封建制度中的强盗男爵垄断了此路线。[W.C.弗拉格(W.C. Flagg)在向国会的证言中，1874年]