shopkeeper
/'ʃɔp,ki:pə/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: A person who owns or is in charge of a retail shop or store. This person is responsible for managing the shop's daily operations, which typically include selling goods, managing stock, and serving customers.
Usage
The word "shopkeeper" is used to refer to the proprietor or manager of a small to medium-sized retail establishment. It often implies a personal involvement in the business and direct interaction with customers.
Examples
- The friendly shopkeeper helped me find the right spices for the recipe.
- Many small shopkeepers struggled to compete with large supermarkets.
- She has been the shopkeeper of that bookstore for over twenty years.
Advanced Usage
- The nation of shopkeepers: This is a historical idiom, often attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte, used to describe England (or Britain) in a somewhat derogatory way, emphasizing its commercial and mercantile character rather than its military or aristocratic traditions.
- Example: The phrase "a nation of shopkeepers" was used to critique British society's focus on trade.
Variants and Related Words
- Shopkeeping (noun): The activity or occupation of being a shopkeeper.
- Example: He went into shopkeeping after retiring from his factory job.
- Storekeeper (noun): A synonym commonly used in American English.
- Proprietor (noun): A more formal term for an owner of a business.
- Retailer (noun): A person or business that sells goods to the public.
Synonyms
- Storekeeper
- Retailer
- Tradesperson
- Merchant
- Dealer
Related Phrases
- Corner shopkeeper: Refers specifically to the owner of a small convenience store, often located on a street corner in a residential area.
- Example: Our local corner shopkeeper knows all the families in the neighborhood.
Noun
- a merchant who owns or manages a shop