sweater
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Common term for a "cutting" or "grinding" employer,—one who SWEATS his workpeople. A cheap tailor, who pays starvation wages.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
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 “sweater” mean?
Common term for a "cutting" or "grinding" employer,—one who SWEATS his workpeople. A cheap tailor, who pays starvation wages.
Is “sweater” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.