knobstick

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

One who refuses to join, or withdraws from, a trade union.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

‘Don’t you see what you would be? You’d be a knobstick. You'd be taking less wages than the other labourers—all for the sake of another man’s children. Think how you’d abuse any poor fellow who was willing to take what he could get to keep his own children. You and your Union would soon be down upon

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 “knobstick” mean?

One who refuses to join, or withdraws from, a trade union.

Is “knobstick” formal or informal?

knobstick is generally slang.