WHO'S THE PLEB?

A bit harsh, but perhaps it's where Plebs belong

Just so that we're all clear about one of the abbreviated words "attributed to" but "not said" by the Coalition's Chief Whip, Andrew Mitchell to a police officer at the gates of Downing Street...

plebeian:

adj.

1. Of or relating to the common people of ancient Rome: a plebeian magistrate.

2. Of, belonging to, or characteristic of commoners.

3. Unrefined or coarse in nature or manner; common or vulgar: plebeian tastes.

n.

1. One of the common people of ancient Rome.

2. A member of the lower classes.

3. A vulgar or coarse person.

If we consider some of the other words "attributed to" Mitchell...

"Best you learn your fucking place...you don’t run this fucking government...You’re fucking plebs."

...then I would suggest that someone using these phrases would fall under definition 3. above; certainly relating to the noun and, arguably, the adjective, which further suggests that Mitchell himself is a plebeian. The police officers attending the gates were not behaving like plebeians at the time if the record from the notebooks are accurate and given the overall compensation packages for police officers these days, they could hardly be described as 'lower class'.

On the other hand, as they say, "...it takes one to know one..."