fireman
/ˈfaɪɹmən/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.20 in modern English
12
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
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.
noun
An assistant on any locomotive, whether steam-powered or not.
noun
A relief pitcher (reflecting the figurative analogy of rescuing the situation).
noun
A safety inspector in coal mines.
name
A surname.
Example Sentences
- "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 [...]."
- "For firemen everywhere rescuing cats from trees has been as much a part of the job as tackling blazing buildings."
- "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'."
- "No grass grew under a train when the engineer let Fireman McLash take the throttle."
- "A 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."
- "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."
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.
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈfaɪɹmən/
- British English: /ˈfaɪəmən/