Revenuer
"Revenuer" is a Southern and Appalachian term for a federal revenue officer who hunted illegal liquor operations - the moonshine-still agent of folklore and Prohibition stories.
synonyms: federal agent, liquor agent, alcohol tax agent, lawman
Hillbilly Dude Says...
'Revenuer' isn't somethin' you hear in normal conversations these days. It would mainly be used in a silly way. Hillbilly Dude Says...
'Revenuer' isn't somethin' you hear in normal conversations these days. It would mainly be used in a silly way. Pronunciation
[REV-uh-noo-er]
/ˈrɛv.ə.nuː.ər/
/ˈrɛv.ə.nuː.ər/
Meaning & Usage
- Federal revenue officer targeting illicit liquor (noun)
Mae:
Hide them jars - heard tell the revenuers was on the ridge.
Hide them jars - heard tell the revenuers was on the ridge.
Earl:
Kill the fire and pull the cap - move, now.
Kill the fire and pull the cap - move, now.variations: revenuer man, revenuers, revenue agent, federal man
Origin and Etymology
From "revenue" + the -er agent ending: a government officer enforcing tax and liquor laws. In the Southern mountains, the role became famous (and infamous) during late 19th-century enforcement and especially Prohibition, when agents raided backwoods stills. The word stuck in ballads, tall tales, and family lore as the classic foe of the moonshiner.
Usage Notes
- Strongly associated with Appalachia and the rural South; outside the region it may just mean "tax agent," but locally it evokes moonshine raids.
- Feels historical/folkloric today, yet widely recognized in country music, stories, and local history.
- Common plural "revenuers"; set phrase "revenuer man."
Kin Topics
Related Pages
How to Cite This Page
- APA (7th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, October 17). Revenuer. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/revenuer
- MLA (9th edition)"The Hillbilly Dude." "Revenuer." HillbillySlang.com, 17 Oct. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/revenuer.
- Chicago (17th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. "Revenuer." HillbillySlang.com. October 17, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/revenuer.
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