Phrase guide

brown bomber

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A parking officer, employed to issue parking tickets (i.e. fines) to vehicles parked illegally or for longer than the permitted time.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Australia, slang

Examples

  • 1971, John O'Grady, Dealing with Cops, from Aussie Etiket. Quoted in Aussie Humour, Macmillan, 1988, →ISBN, page 200. There is another kind called 'brown bombers'. They are very interested in parked cars. They put chalk marks on tyres and leave little notes, in envelopes, under windscreen wipers.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

An American cocktail containing peanut liqueur.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A laxative.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US, dated, slang

Topics: government, military, politics, war

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Refers to the colour of parking inspector uniforms worn for several decades in Sydney, Australia and other major cities.