Definition

Noun: 1. An employer who exploits Italian immigrants in the U.S.: Historically, a padrone was a person, often an immigrant himself, who acted as a labor broker or boss, finding work for newly arrived Italian immigrants in the United States, frequently under exploitative conditions involving debt and control. 2. An owner or proprietor of an inn in Italy: In Italy, a padrone is the master, owner, or proprietor of a business, such as an inn or hotel.

Usage Examples

• As an exploitative employer:

  • The young immigrant was completely dependent on the padrone for work and housing.
  • The system of the padrone often kept workers in a state of near-servitude.

• As an inn owner:

  • We asked the padrone of the small hotel for a recommendation for dinner.
  • The padrone welcomed us warmly to his family's inn in Tuscany.

Advanced Usage

• The term can imply a relationship of authority and patronage. In the historical U.S. context, it carries a strong negative connotation of exploitation. In the Italian context, it is a more neutral term for a business owner or boss.
• "To be under the padrone's thumb": To be completely controlled by a (employer sense).
  • The workers, indebted for their passage, were under the padrone's thumb.

Variants and Related Words

• Padrona (noun): The feminine form, meaning a female owner, proprietress, or landlady.
  • The padrona of the pension was known for her excellent cooking.

Synonyms

• For employer/boss: Boss, labor broker, contractor, master.
• For inn owner: Innkeeper, proprietor, landlord, host.

Related Phrases

• While not a phrasal verb, the term is often used in the phrase "the padrone system" to describe the historical practice of labor exploitation.
  • The padrone system was eventually targeted by reformers and legislation.

Related Idioms

• "Like a padrone": Behaving with absolute authority over a group, often in a domineering way.
  • He ran the kitchen like a padrone, demanding perfection from every cook.

Noun

1. an employer who exploits Italian immigrants in the U.S.
2. an owner or proprietor of an inn in Italy