working stiff

English

WOTD – 6 September 2021

Etymology

From working + stiff (average person, usually male, of no particular distinction, skill, or education).[1]

Pronunciation

Noun

working stiff (plural working stiffs)

  1. (originally US, informal) An ordinary person who works in a non-management position, especially one who works for wages rather than a salary.
    • 2018 November 14, Jesse Hassenger, “Disney Goes Viral with an Ambitious, Overstuffed Wreck-It Ralph Sequel”, in The A.V. Club, archived from the original on 21 November 2019:
      Now he spends his time off from work hanging out with his diminutive best friend Vanellope (Sarah Silverman), the casual-dress princess hero of racing game Sugar Rush. Ralph enjoys life as a working stiff, though Vanellope is growing bored with her racing-world domination.

Translations

References

  1. working stiff, n.” under stiff, adj., n., and adv.”, in OED Online , Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, 1916.
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