endman

English

Etymology

From end +‎ -man.

Noun

endman (plural endmen)

1. A man at one end of a row or line.
2. One who takes the most advanced or extreme view of anything; an extremist.
3. (obsolete) A type of stock character common in American minstrel shows, occurring in pairs, flanking a character in the middle, and distinguished by exchanging jokes in between skits and songs.

   Synonym: cornerman

   • 1904, William Jerome, When Mr. Shakespeare comes to town:

     I don't like the Minstrel folks, and I doesn't care for the endmen's jokes;
     I has no use for the musical mokes, and I don't like a circus clown […]

References

• 2001. The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music: North America. Garland Publishing. Ellen Koskoff (Ed.)

Anagrams

• DeMann, Denman, manned