taskmaster

/ˌtæskˈmæstər/

Other forms: taskmasters

A taskmaster is someone who makes you work very hard — maybe too hard. If your parents tell you and your siblings to shovel the driveway after a blizzard, even though it's freezing outside, they're definitely taskmasters.

Anyone who imposes a task, or job, might be described as a taskmaster. The term usually refers to someone who forces workers to do especially harsh tasks. In A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge is a taskmaster who makes Bob Cratchett work late on Christmas Eve. And a soccer coach who pushes her players extra hard could also be described as a taskmaster. Dating from the 16th century, taskmaster comes from Latin roots meaning "labor" and "director."

Definitions of taskmaster

1. noun

   someone who imposes hard or continuous work
   types:

   slave driver

   a supervisor of slaves at work

   taskmistress

   a woman taskmaster

   type of:

   supervisor

   one who supervises or has charge and direction of