White-shoe definition

wītsho͝o, hwīt-
Designating or characteristic of a business company, esp. a law firm or brokerage, in which the partners belong almost exclusively to the white, Protestant, upper-class elite and are thought of as being conservative.
adjective
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2
Of or being a long-established business known for reputable service and a wealthy clientele.
adjective
2
1
(US, slang) A stereotypical Ivy League student.
noun
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(US, slang) Effeminate or immature.
adjective
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(US, slang) Establishment; pertaining to mainstream US social power-structures.
adjective
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Origin of white-shoe

  • From the white buckskin shoes once commonly worn by Ivy League undergraduates and considered typical dress of the American upper class

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From white + shoe; their traditional footwear.

    From Wiktionary