coxswain
pronunciation
How to pronounce coxswain in British English:
UK [ˈkɒksn]
How to pronounce coxswain in American English:
US [ˈkɑksn]
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- Noun:
- the helmsman of a ship's boat or a racing crew
Word Origin
- coxswain
- coxswain: [15] A coxswain was originally a servant, or swain, whose job was to steer a ship’s boat, or cock (cock comes from Old French coque, which was probably a descendant via late Latin caudica ‘canoe’ of Latin caudex ‘tree trunk’, and swain is a borrowing from Old Norse sveinn ‘boy, servant’). The abbreviation cox seems to have developed in the 19th century.
- coxswain (n.)
- early 14c., "officer in charge of a ship's boat and its crew," from cock "ship's boat" (from Old French coque "canoe") + swain "boy," from Old Norse sveinn "boy, servant" (see swain).
Example
- 1. To act as coxswain or serve as coxswain for .
- 2. Being the coxswain of a local vessel which submerged freeboard mark .
- 3. Failing to carry the local certificate of competency as a coxswain on board .
- 4. Being the coxswain of a local vessel on which person fished in a prohibited fishing area .
- 5. The gig was already lowered , and in it were four oarsmen and a coxswain .