jobsworth en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˈd͡ʒɒbzwɜːθ/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /-wəθ/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈd͡ʒɑbzˌwɝθ/ (General-American)
Etymology
A compound of job + -s- + worth, derived from the phrase “It’s more than me job’s worth” or “... my job’s worth” as used in denial of a request by a functionary, chiefly popularized by Jeremy Taylor's 1973 song “Jobsworth” and the 1973–1994 BBC television series That’s Life! which focused on consumer affairs and gave a “Jobsworth of the Week” award to “a startling tale of going by the book”.
Meanings
-
(UK, derogatory, informal) A person who upholds trivial rules unnecessarily and obstructively in order to exercise their (typically minor) authority.
For many people, however, the stress of not having the correct ticket for a train or bus journey can lead to a particularly uncomfortable feeling … fear that they might encounter a jobsworth. […] Someone who has been caught out by a jobsworth, will probably accuse them of being an embittered, mean-spirited inadequate who are using their status to give themselves faux importance, justifying their actions by their twin mantras of "Rules is rules" and, inevitably, "It's more than my job's worth."
2000 January 10, “Your job’s worth more than you are”, in BBC News, archived from the original on 15 Feb 2020:But as within the rest of the civil service, competent, bright and ambitious staff who work long hours and often juggle multiple roles co-exist with the old-school jobsworths who punch-out the instant their daily seven hours 12 minutes are up.
2014 April 16, “anonymous civil servant”, “The old-school jobsworths in the civil service are still not pulling their weight”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 21 Oct 2015:The usual council jobsworths came down to tell them to stop playing football.
Everyone knows a jobsworth. They are in our offices: the keeper of the stationery cupboard and the grumpy security guard. They add crucial extra minutes to the daily commute: the traffic warden who stands waiting for the time to tick over, the bus driver who drives past as you sprint for the bus stop.
2007 July 16, Matt Keating, “Hug a jobsworth and spread a little happiness”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 05 Oct 2014:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| jobsworths | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Relateds
computer says no · officialism · by the book
Translations (4)
cmn 刻板得不近人情的官員 /刻板得不近人情的官员 (minor official or worker who refuses to be flexible in the application of rules to help a client or customer) · mnw ၚုဟ်မးကမၠောန် (minor official or worker who refuses to be flexible in the application of rules to help a client or customer) · cmn 小官僚 (minor official or worker who refuses to be flexible in the application of rules to help a client or customer) · nl pennenlikker (minor official or worker who refuses to be flexible in the application of rules to help a client or customer)