taskmistress

Thân thiện

The taskmistress assigns the day's duties to the workers.

Definition

Noun: A female taskmaster; a woman who assigns tasks, especially demanding or arduous ones, and supervises or enforces their completion, often with strictness.

Usage

The word "taskmistress" is used to refer to a woman in a position of authority who allocates work and ensures it is done, typically implying she is rigorous, demanding, or stern in her supervision. It is a somewhat formal or literary term.

Examples

• The new department head was a strict taskmistress who expected reports to be submitted by 8 a.m. sharp.
• In the historical novel, the lady of the manor was a harsh taskmistress to the servants.
• She became her own toughest taskmistress, setting incredibly high standards for her personal projects.

Advanced Usage

• The term can be used metaphorically for an abstract force or principle that imposes demanding requirements.
  • The relentless pursuit of perfection was a cruel taskmistress for the artist.

Variants and Related Words

• Taskmaster (noun): The gender-neutral or male-specific counterpart. A person, especially a strict one, who assigns and supervises tasks.
• Supervisor (noun): A more neutral term for a person who oversees work.
• Forewoman (noun): A woman in charge of a group of workers.

Synonyms

• Overseer
• Supervisor
• Forewoman
• Disciplinarian
• Slave driver (informal, pejorative)

Antonyms

• Subordinate
• Underling
• Protege

Related Idioms/Phrases

• To be a hard/strict taskmistress: Used to describe someone who is very demanding.
  • History can be a hard taskmistress, punishing those who do not learn its lessons.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a woman taskmaster