In England, a shop deeper; a small shop-keeper. In the United States , a mechanic or artificer of any kind, whose livelihood depends upon the labor of his hands. Richie v. Mc- Cauley, 4 Pa. 472. “Primarily the words ‘trader’ and ‘tradesman’ mean one who trades, and they have been treated by the courts in many instances as synonymous. But,, in their general application and usage. I think they describe different vocations. By ‘tradesman’ is usually meant a shop-keeper. Such is the definition given the word in Bur- rill’s Law Dictionary. It is used in this sense by Adam Smith. He says, ( Wealth of Nations 🙂 ‘A tradesman in London is obliged to hire a whole house in that part of the town where his customers live. His shop is on the ground floor ,’ etc. Dr. Johnson gives it the same meaning. and quotes Prior and Goldsmith as authorities .” In re Ragsdale, 7 Biss. 155, Fed. Cas. No. 11,530.
Black’s Law Online Dictionary
