dole merchant
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
A person who does not contribute to society and who lives off welfare.
Register: derogatory, slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
'So long as yer not a dole merchant. I've had dole merchants afore an' they're nowt but trouble.' It took Rosie less than a week to cause trouble. She'd gone to bed early to save money on the electric fire. Where they'd been hibernating[…]
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “dole merchant” mean?
A person who does not contribute to society and who lives off welfare.
Is “dole merchant” formal or informal?
dole merchant is generally derogatory, slang.