gaf·fer

(găf′ər)

1. An electrician in charge of lighting on a movie or television set.

2. Chiefly British An old man or a rustic.

3. Chiefly British A boss or foreman.

[Probably alteration (influenced by grandfather) of godfather.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

gaffer

(ˈɡæfə)

1. an old man, esp one living in the country: often used affectionately or patronizingly. Compare gammer

2. informal chiefly Brit a boss, foreman, or owner of a factory, mine, etc

3. (Film) the senior electrician on a television or film set

[C16: alteration of godfather]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

gaf•fer

(ˈgæf ər)

n.

1. the chief electrician on a motion-picture or television production.

2. Informal. an old man.

3. Brit. the foreman or overseer of a group of workers.

[1565–75; contraction of godfather]

gaffer

- In television and film, the senior electrician.

gaffer

[ˈgæfəʳ] N

1. (= old man) → vejete m

2. (Brit) (= foreman) → capataz m; (= boss) → jefe m

3. (Cine, TV) → iluminista mf

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

gaffer

[ˈgæfə^r] n (British) (= boss) → patron mgaffer tape n (= adhesive tape) → gaffeur m (ruban adhésif toilé)

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

gaffer

n (Brit inf)

(= foreman) → Vorarbeiter m, → Vormann m; (= boss) → Chef m, → Boss m (inf), → Alte(r) m(f) (inf)

(= old man) → Alte(r) m, → Opa m (inf)

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

gaffer

[ˈgæfəʳ] n (Brit) (fam) → capo

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

'In luck again, Gaffer?' said a man with a squinting leer, who sculled her and who was alone, 'I know'd you was in luck again, by your wake as you come down.'

'I says to myself,' he went on, 'directly you hove in view, yonder's Gaffer, and in luck again, by George if he ain't!

'He's had touches enough not to want no more, as well as I make him out, Gaffer! Been a knocking about with a pretty many tides, ain't he pardner?

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"Hola, Gaffer Higginson!" cried Aylward, as he spied the portly figure of the village innkeeper.

"If your cask is leer, I warrant your purse is full, gaffer," shouted Hordle John.

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Light, however, was thrown upon this when a frightened housemaid brought the news that Gaffer Bedshaw had that very morning, not more than an hour back, gone violently insane, and was strapped down at home, in the huntsman's lodge, where he raved of a battle with a ferocious and gigantic beast that he had encountered in the Tichlorne pasture.

I shouted for help, and Gaffer Bedshaw came running into the court.

Gaffer Bedshaw never recovered from the second shock he received, and is confined in a madhouse, hopelessly incurable.

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"Oh, 'tis you, Mrs Durbeyfield--Lard--how you frightened me!--I thought it might be some gaffer sent by Gover'ment."

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A romp in the drawing-room and never mind the furniture, or a scamper in the fresh, cool air, a scud across the fields and down the hill, and won't we let old Gaffer Goggles' geese know what time o' day it is, neither!

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`Ne'er buy a horse, good friend, without first looking into its mouth,' as our good gaffer Swanthold says.

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At her own home, both at Southdown and at Trottermore Castle, this tall and awful missionary of the truth rode about the country in her barouche with outriders, launched packets of tracts among the cottagers and tenants, and would order Gaffer Jones to be converted, as she would order Goody Hicks to take a James's powder, without appeal, resistance, or benefit of clergy.

View in context

Noun	1.	gaffer - an elderly man antique, old geezer, oldtimer, old-timer graybeard, greybeard, old man, Methuselah - a man who is very old
	2.	gaffer - an electrician responsible for lighting on a movie or tv set electrician, linesman, lineman - a person who installs or repairs electrical or telephone lines
	3.	gaffer - a person who exercises control over workers; "if you want to leave early you have to ask the foreman" boss, foreman, honcho, chief baas - South African term for `boss' ganger - the foreman of a work gang assistant foreman, straw boss - a member of a work gang who supervises the other workers supervisor - one who supervises or has charge and direction of