fireman en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (UK) audio
- /-ˌmæn/ (General-American)
- /ˈfaɪəmən/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈfaɪɹmən/ (General-American)
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *péh₂wr̥ Proto-Germanic *fōr Proto-West Germanic *fuir Old English fȳr Middle English fyr English fire Proto-Indo-European *mon- Proto-Germanic *mann- Proto-West Germanic *mann Old English mann Middle English man Middle English -man English -man English fireman From fire + -man.
Meanings
-
Someone (especially male) who is skilled in the work of fighting fire.
By February 1944 there were over two thousand women employed at the Alabama Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Company [...]. There were also female firemen on almost every shipyard crane [...].
1993, Nancy F. Cott, editor, History of Women in the United States. Historical Articles on Women's Lives and Activities. 15. Women and War, page 432:For firemen everywhere rescuing cats from trees has been as much a part of the job as tackling blazing buildings.
30 June 2019, Don't call us for cats stuck in trees', Fire Brigade warns (Daily Telegraph)
-
A person (originally a man) who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler (originally, shoveling coal by hand), particularly on a railroad locomotive or steamship.
Driver G. A. Rowett, of the North Eastern Region's Neville Hill shed, now joined the locomotive as pilotman, and actually took over the regulator, Fireman Wheddon continuing to fire.
1958 December 14, Cecil J. Allen, “British Locomotive Practice and Performance”, in Railway Magazine, page 852:No grass grew under a train when the engineer let Fireman McLash take the throttle.
1938, Xavier Herbert, chapter IX, in Capricornia, page 140:(the latter is informal)
The driver remained at his post, while telling fireman Jim Nightall to get down on the track and run back to uncouple the burning wagon from the rest.
2022 January 12, Benedict le Vay, “The heroes of Soham...”, in RAIL, number 948:I was elated to pass because there were times when I did not think I was physically capable. It is quite rare for a woman to become a fireman.
2013 August 24, Sophie Wyllie, quoting Tina Pinney, “Volunteer Tina steams ahead and becomes qualified fireman on North Norfolk Railway”, in Eastern Daily Press, →ISSN:The fireman's job was about to get very interesting; they had just run out of coal!
He looked around his cab at his black greasy fireman, saying 'shovel on a little more coal, and when we cross that White Oak Mountain, you can watch Old 97 roll'.
ca. 1913 The wreck of Old 97 [ballad, Blue Ridge Mountains], verse 3A 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.
1949 May and June, R. A. H. Weight, “A Short-Lived Pacific Class”, in Railway Magazine, page 196:
- (broadly) An assistant on any locomotive, whether steam-powered or not.
- A relief pitcher (reflecting the figurative analogy of rescuing the situation).
- (historical) A safety inspector in coal mines.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| firemen | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Coordinates
Deriveds
firemanic · fireman's carry · firemanship
Hypernyms
Relateds
tillerman · fireplug · fire hydrant · fire brigade · stoker · fire truck · fire extinguisher · fire engine · fire hose · fire station
Synonyms
stoker · firefighter · bakehead · smoke eater
Translations (66)
fr chauffeur (person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler) · de Feuerwehrmann (male skilled in fighting fire) · hu dobó (pitcher) · no brannmann (male skilled in fighting fire) · la ignīnus (male skilled in fighting fire) · fi lämmittäjä (assistant on any locomotive) · ru пожа́рная (male skilled in fighting fire) · el θερμαστής (person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler) · la siphonarius (male skilled in fighting fire) · da fyrbøder (person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler) · he מַסִּיק (assistant on any locomotive) · pt homem do fogo (male skilled in fighting fire) · nv kǫʼ deiniłtsésí (male skilled in fighting fire) · gd fear-smàlaidh (male skilled in fighting fire) · da brandmand (male skilled in fighting fire) · ro fochist (assistant on any locomotive) · mk пожа́рникар (male skilled in fighting fire) · ru пожа́рник (male skilled in fighting fire) · mk ло́жач (person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler) · es bombero (male skilled in fighting fire) · sh ватрогасац (male skilled in fighting fire) · sh vatrogasac (male skilled in fighting fire) · pl palacz (assistant on any locomotive) · ga fear tine (male skilled in fighting fire) · lv ugunsdzēsējs (male skilled in fighting fire) · hu dobójátékos (pitcher) · es fogonero (person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler) · sh lòžāč (assistant on any locomotive) · pl strażak (male skilled in fighting fire) · pl miotacz (pitcher) · ru пожа́рный (male skilled in fighting fire) · hu fűtő (person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler) · es fogonero (assistant on any locomotive) · sh ло̀жа̄ч (person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler) · is brunaliðsmaður (male skilled in fighting fire) · sh lòžāč (person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler) · sv lokomotiveldare (assistant on any locomotive) · de Heizer (person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler) · is slökkviliðismaður (male skilled in fighting fire) · nv kǫʼ yiniłtsésí (male skilled in fighting fire) · eo hejtisto (person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler) · sv eldare (person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler) · cs topič (person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler) · ru кочега́р (person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler) · it pompiere (male skilled in fighting fire) · ro pompier (male skilled in fighting fire) · pl palacz (person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler) · el πυροσβέστης (male skilled in fighting fire) · he מַסִּיק (person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler) · hu fűtő (assistant on any locomotive) · ga fear dóiteáin (male skilled in fighting fire) · fi lämmittäjä (person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler) · nb fyrbøter (person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler) · hu tűzoltó (male skilled in fighting fire) · ro fochist (person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler) · ru пожа́рница (male skilled in fighting fire) · pt bombeiro (male skilled in fighting fire) · vo lefilahipoldan (male skilled in fighting fire) · sv brandman (male skilled in fighting fire) · ga fear tine (person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler) · bg пожарника́р (male skilled in fighting fire) · sh ло̀жа̄ч (assistant on any locomotive) · fi syöttäjä (pitcher) · la vigil (male skilled in fighting fire) · nl brandweerman (male skilled in fighting fire) · fi palomies (male skilled in fighting fire)