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Dolehead
01
(Irish) an unemployed person who relies on government benefits and avoids work
Slang
Grammatical Information
Animacy status
Human
Composition
Compound
Countable
Plural form
doleheads
What does "dolehead" mean in Irish slang?
In Irish slang, "dolehead" is a derogatory term for someone who relies on unemployment benefits and is seen as avoiding work. The term became common in working-class and political discussions about welfare and unemployment in Ireland and the UK. It is usually used insultingly in informal conversation. The word combines "dole," meaning unemployment benefits, with "head," a slang suffix used to describe a type of person.
Examples
Paddy was a dolehead who never wanted to work.
Lexical Tree
dolehead
dole
head
