pressman

See also: Pressman

English

Etymology

From press +‎ man.

Noun

pressman (plural pressmen)

1. Someone who operates a printing press. [from 16th c.]
   • 2000, Richard L. Saunders, Printing in Deseret:

     As the pressman returns the inkballs to the inkstone, the journeyman closes the frisket and tympan.

   • 2009, James Mosley, edited by Michael F Suarez and Michael L Turner, The Cambridge History of the Book in Britain, vol. V, Cambridge, published 2014, page 166:

     Moxon […] gives the area required by a press and pressmen as 7 feet square, and for a frame with a pair of cases, an area 4 ft 6 in square.

2. A journalist or newspaper reporter. [from 19th c.]
   • 1929, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, When the World Screamed‎^[1]:

     "He hates pressmen, but I am in his confidence, for he knows that I will publish no more than he authorizes."

   • 1949 November and December, “Notes and News: By Special Train to Llanfair”, in Railway Magazine, page 409:

     Quite a crowd of townspeople turned out to see the train start, and several pressmen were busily engaged in taking notes and photographs.

3. One who pressgangs people into naval service.
4. One who presses clothes.

   a tailor's pressman

Derived terms

• pressman's hat