gardener
Preserved but no longer current.
An awkward coachman; an insinuation that he is both coachman and gardener, and understands the latter branch of service better than the first; "get on, GARDENER," is a most insulting expression from a cabby to a real coachman. Men who in small families do the coach, garden, and general work, are sometimes called "teakettle grooms," or "teakettle coachmen."
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “gardener” mean?
An awkward coachman; an insinuation that he is both coachman and gardener, and understands the latter branch of service better than the first; "get on, GARDENER," is a most insulting expression from a cabby to a real coachman. Men who in small families do the coach, garden, and general work, are sometimes called "teakettle grooms," or "teakettle coachmen."
Is “gardener” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.