Padrone

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

padrone
    n 1: an owner or proprietor of an inn in Italy
    2: an employer who exploits Italian immigrants in the U.S.

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Padrone \Pa*dro"ne\, n.; pl. It. {Padroni}, E. {Padrones}. [It.
   See {Patron}.]
   1. A patron; a protector.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. The master of a small coaster in the Mediterranean.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. A man who imports, and controls the earnings of, Italian
      laborers, street musicians, etc.
      [1913 Webster]

from Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

27 Moby Thesaurus words for "padrone":
      boss, bwana, chef, chief, church dignitary, ecclesiarch, elder,
      employer, goodman, guru, husband, liege, liege lord, lord,
      lord paramount, master, overlord, paramount, paterfamilias,
      patriarch, patron, rabbi, sahib, seigneur, seignior, starets,
      teacher

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