engineman
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English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Noun[edit]
engineman (plural enginemen)
- (dated) A man who operates, manages, and maintains an engine.
- 1879, John Sutherland Sinclair, Earl of Caithness, Lectures on Popular and Scientific Subjects[1]:
- The engineman having only to turn two cocks, so as to connect the steam with the one or the other vessel."
- 1901, M.P. Shiel, The Purple Cloud[2]:
- It was only when I sat, an hour later, disgustedly reflecting on this incident, that I remembered that there was always some 'hand-working' of the engine during the cage-descents, an engineman reversing the action by a handle at every stroke of the piston, to prevent bumping.
- 1911, anonymous author, The Traveling Engineers' Association[3]:
- As an aid to this end, and that the railroad companies may derive the highest efficiency from the man employed as a locomotive engineman, a code of questions is given him, and it is expected that the preparation necessary to correctly answer the questions will indicate how well he has progressed.
- 1949 May and June, R. A. H. Weight, “A Short-Lived Pacific Class”, in Railway Magazine, page 196:
- A few keen enginemen, such as Driver Rosewarne of York, could coax good work out of them when engaged in heavy East Coast express service, but to most footplate crews, especially firemen, they were rather heartbreaking and backbreaking machines, and gradually were relegated to secondary or fast goods duties.
- 1961 March, 'Balmore', “Driving and firing modern French steam locomotives”, in Trains Illustrated, page 147:
- At one corner of the room three enginemen were lost in serious discussion; in other corners, mécaniciens and chauffeurs were quietly talking, playing draughts, reading or eating.
- (derived from earlier sense) A navy sailor who operates, manages, and maintains engines and various other shipboard equipment (such as one with the United States Navy EN occupational rating).