| 释义 |
waterman|ˈwɔːtəmən|
[Cf. G. wassermann (in various senses), WFris. wetterman, Sw. dial. vattenmann (= sense 5).]
†1. A seaman, mariner. Obs.
a1400Morte Arth. 741 Wyghtly one the wale thay wye vp thaire ankers, By wytt of the watyre-mene of the wale ythez. 1549Maldon (Essex) Liber B. 136 b, John Boyes of Maldon did bye of John Marteyn of Bradwell, Waterman, oon hunderith & syxe bussells of oysters. 1550Coverdale Spir. Perle xxii. 165 Lyke as a waterman wyll neuer let out hys sayle so farre, but that he may sone pull it in agayn. 1638G. Plattes Discov. Inf. Treas. (1639) 44 This all Fishers and watermen can tell, for that they finde the water deepest in the loosest earth, and ebbest where it is most compacted and firme: for Mountaines and Vallies at land, are depths and shallowes at Sea. a1651Sir J. Skeffington Heroe of Lorenzo (1652) 79 Cæsar..when he was fain to encourage his faint-hearted waterman in a storm, by saying, Be not afraid, for so thou wrong'st the fortunes of Cæsar. 1682Wheler Journ. Greece 301 Our Greek refused absolutely to go further with us unless by water. For he was a kind of Water-man, and was not of their faith, that had rather trust God Almighty by Land than by Sea.
2. A man working on a boat or among boats, esp. a boatman (as the licensed wherry-man of London) who plies for hire on a river, etc.
1458Forman's Monumt. Christ's Hosp., Abingdon 41 Ther loved hem a ladde was a water man longe; He helpe stop the streme til the werke were a fore. a1513Fabyan Chron. vii. (1811) 628 This mayer fyrste of all mayers brake that auncient..custome, and was rowed thyther by water; for y⊇ which y⊇ watermen made of hym a roundell or songe to his great prayse. 1580Hollyband Treas. Fr. Tong, Payer le port,..to pay the waterman his fare. 1583B. Melbancke Philotimus P j b, And so imitate the waterman whiche lookethe one waye, and roweth another. a1603Bacon To Ld. Essex Wks. 1730 IV. 486 And to her Majesty no other reason, but the reason of a waterman; I am her first man of those who serve in counsel of law? 1610Holland Camden's Brit. i. (1637) 389 The Inhabitants whereof [of Henley on Thames] be for the most part Watermen, who make their chiefest gaine by carrying downe in their Barges wood and Corne to London. 1672in Verney Mem. (1907) II. 304 Seamen and Watermen are daily impressed,..to supply the shipps. 1697Vanbrugh Relapse i. ii, Come, pay the Waterman, and take the Portmantle. 1773C. Burney Pres. St. Mus. Germany (1775) II. 21 The boat moved so very slow, there being only one waterman, that it frequently seemed to stand still. 1824Friendship's Offering 220 Rates of Watermen. From London Bridge. 1834John Bull 27 July 238/3 The contest among the watermen of Putney for a purse of sovereigns..took place on Wednesday. 1835Dickens Sk. Boz, River, Groups of watermen are assembled at the different stairs. 1860W. W. Reade Liberty Hall I. v. 95 The watermen on the [college] barge shove them off by pushing against the stroke oars extended. 1913Q. Rev. Apr. 388 One of the bullets struck a waterman in the Queen's barge.
b. waterman's knot = water-knot.
1871Routledge's Ev. Boy's Ann. May 297 The Waterman's Knot..may be used. 1875in Knight Dict. Mech.
c. colloq. One having a (good) knowledge of boating, etc.
1912‘Guy Thorne’ Gt. Acceptance i. 13 It is not to be understood that he was in any way a milksop. He was a good waterman upon the river, and at a time when young men of position did not indulge in cricket, football, [etc.]..he was yet a fearless, skilful rider.
d. slang. (See quot.)
1860Hotten's Slang Dict. (ed. 2), Waterman, a light blue silk handkerchief. The Oxford and Cambridge boats' crews always wear these—light blue for Cambridge, and a darker shade for Oxford.
†3. (With capital initial.) = Aquarius. Obs. Cf. waterbearer 2.
1565B. Googe tr. Palingenius' Zodiac xi. QQj, But airy are these three, the Scales, the Waterman, the Twinnes. 1590T. Hood Use Celestial Globe 35 b, The 11. [constellation] is Aquarius, the Waterman, which hath 42. starres.
4. A man employed in the supply or distribution of water; e.g. a water-carrier, a turncock or fireman, a man engaged in the irrigation of water-meadows, or in pumping.
1705Lond. Gaz. No. 4140/4 They [sc. the Fire-Insurance Co.] only Employ..their own Watermen. 1776G. Semple Building in Water 46 At low Water I set all the Drudge and Water-men to that Corner. 1789T. Wright Meth. Watering Meadows (1790) 11 Two of our most skilful water⁓men were sent for to lay out a meadow of seven acres. 1794T. Davis Agric. Wilts 33 The water is thrown over as much of the meadow as it will cover well at a time, which the watermen call a ‘Pitch of work’. 1875Bedford Sailor's Pocket Bk. vii. (ed. 2) 250 Each half company providing 2 woodmen, 2 watermen. 1877L. Palma di Cesnola Cyprus 141 A sort of wicker yoke, which is put on the back of a donkey ridden by the water-man. 1880D. C. Davies Metallif. Min. 425 Water Men, men employed in the extraction of water, especially with the rag and chain pump. 1912M. Pemberton War & Woman iii. i. 174 Kensington, Paddington, and Hampstead were frozen out... Weary water-men plugged the mains.
b. esp. An attendant at cab- or coach-stands, whose primary function was to water the horses.
1764Low Life 69 Hackney-Coachmen..are sleeping in Night-Cellars, while the Watermen (as they are termed) are watering their Horses. 1831Ann. Reg. 321 Thomas Taverner, waterman to the coach-stand. 1835Dickens Sk. Boz, Hackney-coach Stands, The waterman darts from the pump, seizes the horses by their respective bridles, and drags them, and the coach too, round to the house, shouting all the time for the coachman at the very top..of his voice. 1841S. Warren Ten Thou. i. ii, It ended in a regular set-to between two watermen attached to the adjoining coach-stand. 1908E. V. Lucas Over Bemerton's iv. (1921) 37 The waterman tends the cab rank and incidentally runs errands for the neighbourhood. London is rich in such wastrels.
5. An imaginary being living in or under water, a water-demon, a merman.
1833Keightley Fairy Mythol. II. 72, I am a Christian woman as well as you; and I was carried off by a water⁓man, who changed me. 1873W. S. Gilbert More ‘Bab’ Ballads, Capt. & Mermaids 43.
†6. In certain nonce-uses.
a. One who uses water instead of wine in the Eucharist.
b. A Baptist. Obs.
1577tr. Bullinger's Decades (1592) 1070 These watermen, that is to saie, they that vse water onely, in celebrating the Lords supper, are iustly condemned. 1657J. Watts Scribe etc. i. 109 If you..have been new dipt by some of the water⁓men, and have been re-baptised Iohn.
7. colloq. A water-colour artist.
1888Pall Mall Gaz. 29 Oct. 11/2 The collection of water colours..including among its contributors many of the best living ‘water-men’.
8. Comb. as waterman-like adj.
1623Bp. Hall Gt. Impostor Wks. (1625) 504 The Will (in both respects) Water-man-like lookes forward, and rowes backward. 1885Manch. Exam. 30 Mar. 3/1 It was a moot point whether the Oxford or the Cambridge crew went through it..with the more watermanlike ease.
Hence ˈwatermanship, the art of a waterman; skill in rowing or managing boats, etc.
1882Daily News 18 Jan. 2/2 His weight..combined with good watermanship, fairly points to the conclusion that he will eventually prove to be one of the best oarsmen in this year's crew. 1890Pall Mall Gaz. 27 Aug. 2/1 A 'Varsity crew, carefully coached and with a fine knowledge of watermanship. 1894R. C. Leslie Waterbiog. Pref., What may be called the seamanship of large racing craft, and the watermanship of smaller ones, is usually left to their skipper and crew. 1902Buchan Watcher by Threshold 126 A canvas skiff which it took good watermanship to sit.
attrib.1900G. Swift Somerley 106 This..is a very obvious bit of watermanship information. |