BOATSWAIN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does boatswain mean? 

• BOATSWAIN (noun)
  The noun BOATSWAIN has 1 sense:

1. a petty officer on a merchant ship who controls the work of other seamen

  Familiarity information: BOATSWAIN used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BOATSWAIN (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A petty officer on a merchant ship who controls the work of other seamen

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

bo's'n; bo'sun; boatswain; bos'n; bosun

Hypernyms ("boatswain" is a kind of...):

gob; Jack; Jack-tar; mariner; old salt; sea dog; seafarer; seaman; tar (a man who serves as a sailor)

 Context examples 

That boy is fit for a boatswain.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

And I was going to sea myself, to sea in a schooner, with a piping boatswain and pig-tailed singing seamen, to sea, bound for an unknown island, and to seek for buried treasure!

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

“Good Master Hawtayne,” cried the boatswain, rushing aft, “the water comes in upon us apace. The waves have driven in the sail wherewith we strove to stop the hole.”

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Gray, following close behind me, had cut down the big boatswain ere he had time to recover from his last blow.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

The head of Job Anderson, the boatswain, appeared at the middle loophole.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

The boatswain, Job Anderson, was the likeliest man aboard, and though he kept his old title, he served in a way as mate.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

We struck the enclosure about the middle of the south side, and almost at the same time, seven mutineers—Job Anderson, the boatswain, at their head—appeared in full cry at the southwestern corner.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

We never had a night at the Admiral Benbow when I had half the work; and I was dog-tired when, a little before dawn, the boatswain sounded his pipe and the crew began to man the capstan-bars.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)