Wheel and deal

[Cohen, Gerald Leonard]

The following looks plausible:


http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=113188

Quote: Dictionary.com

wheel and deal Operate or manipulate for one's own interest, especially in an aggressive or unscrupulous way. For example, Bernie's wheeling and dealing has made him rich but not very popular. This term comes from gambling in the American West, where a wheeler-dealer was a heavy bettor on the roulette wheel and at cards. [Colloquial; c. 1940]

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Gerald Cohen

________________________________

From: American Dialect Society on behalf of Scot LaFaive
Sent: Thu 2/15/2007 12:45 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Wheel and deal



I'm not sure if I've asked this before, but does anyone have a clue as to
the etymology of "wheel and deal?"

Scot

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