lombard street

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

Lombard Street
    n 1: a street in central London containing many of the major
         London banks

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Lombard \Lom"bard\, prop. n. [F. lombard, fr. the Longobardi or
   Langobardi, i. e., Longbeards, a people of Northern Germany,
   west of the Elbe, and afterward in Northern Italy. See
   {Long}, and {Beard}, and cf. {Lumber}.]
   1. A native or inhabitant of Lombardy.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. A money lender or banker; -- so called because the
      business of banking was first carried on in London by
      Lombards.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. Same as {Lombard-house}.
      [1913 Webster]

            A Lombard unto this day signifying a bank for usury
            or pawns.                             --Fuller.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. (Mil.) A form of cannon formerly in use. --Prescott.
      [1913 Webster]

   {Lombard Street}, the principal street in London for banks
      and the offices of note brokers; hence, the money market
      and interest of London.
      [1913 Webster]