yardman

English

Etymology

Etymology tree

English yard

Proto-Indo-European *mon-

Proto-Germanic *mann-

Proto-West Germanic *mann

Old English mann

Middle English man

Middle English -man

English -man

English yardman

From yard + -man.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈjɑɹdmən/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Noun

yardman (plural yardmen)

1. A worker in any of several types of yard, as:
   1. A worker in a railyard.

      Hypernym: yardperson

      Hyponym: yard jockey

      Coordinate term: yardmaster

   2. (UK, historical) A farm worker assigned to the farmyard of a large farm, working at hostler duties (harnessing and hitching teams), loading and unloading wagons, feeding, and so on.
      • 1930, Adrian Bell, Corduroy, Faber and Faber:

        I asked the grizzled rustic who appeared to be in sole occupation of the farm buildings, and who was, in fact, the yardman, if he knew whereabouts I should find the [hunting] party. He said something I did not understand, but I followed his pointing arm. […] The yardman, with his lantern, was helping to back ponies into traps. Motor-engines murmured. […]

   3. (chiefly Canada, US) A laborer hired to do outdoor work.

Anagrams

• Maynard, drayman