Other forms: taskmasters
A taskmaster is somebody who sets others hard work and demands it be done. A hard taskmaster, a stern taskmaster, time is a hard taskmaster.
It is nearly always preceded by hard or stern, and it is used as much of circumstances as of people. The word implies exacting rather than cruel, which is why it can be said with respect.
1nountaskmasterSomebody who sets others hard work and demands it be done.
“Our piano teacher was a strict taskmaster who made us practise scales every day.”
taskmaster is a person.
Task plus master, from the assigning of set portions of work.
From task + master.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA