family butcher

The family butcher wraps a fresh cut of meat for a customer.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A butcher who supplies meat to households: "family butcher" refers to a butcher who sells meat primarily to private families for domestic consumption, as opposed to supplying large institutions such as the military, schools, or restaurants.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • We buy all our meat from the family butcher on the corner. (A local butcher serving households.)
  • During the war, the family butcher was essential for providing rations to residents. (A butcher catering to families, not the army.)

Advanced Usage

• "To be a family butcher": to operate a butcher shop that serves the local community.
  • He has been a family butcher for thirty years, serving three generations of the same families. (He runs a butcher shop for household customers.)

Variants and Related Words

• Butcher (n): a person who prepares and sells meat.
  • The butcher cut the lamb chops for the customer. (A meat seller.)
• Family-run butcher (n): a butcher shop operated by a family, often implying personal service.
  • The family-run butcher is known for its high-quality sausages. (A small, family-owned meat shop.)

Synonyms

• Local butcher: a butcher serving a specific neighbourhood.
• Household butcher: a butcher who supplies meat to homes.

Related Idioms

• "The family butcher" (as a fixed phrase): used historically to distinguish a butcher serving private homes from those serving institutions.
  • In old towns, the family butcher was a trusted figure, unlike the military butcher. (A butcher for families, not the army.)

Notes on Usage

• The term "family butcher" is somewhat dated and regional, often used in British English to emphasize a personal, community-oriented service. It contrasts with a "military butcher" or "institutional butcher."