coxswain
Americannoun
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a person who steers a racing shell.
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a person who is in charge of a ship's boat and its crew, under an officer, and who steers it.
noun
Pronunciation
The spelling pronunciation is almost never used.
Etymology
Origin of coxswain
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English cokeswayne; see origin at cockboat, swain
Explanation
The coxswain is the person who steers a boat: the helmsman. If you’re going the wrong way on the sea, blame the coxswain. There are many different jobs on a boat, including captain and cook. One of the most important jobs is coxswain, which is the helmsman or steersman. In other words, the coxswain is the equivalent of the driver of a car. A coxswain is also the helmsman of a racing crew, like a rowing crew in a competition. The swain part is from a word meaning "servant," and cox is from cok, meaning "a small boat."
Vocabulary lists containing coxswain
Treasure Island
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The Boys in the Boat
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A Thousand Sisters
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Oban lifeboat Coxswain Ally Cerexhe said high winds and a significant swell made the rescue operation difficult.
From BBC • Feb. 22, 2024
Coxswain Andrew McHaffie said the yacht was moving dangerously close to the beach leaving only "a slim chance of survival in those conditions".
From BBC • Nov. 2, 2021
THE BAR Service bar along one side of the main dining room has a full complement of drinks, including several summer coolers, mixed drinks with sculling names like Coxswain, Drive Ten and Catch Point.
From New York Times • Jun. 12, 2010
Then, at the last bend, Oxford Coxswain James Rogers steered straight across the Cambridge bow, forcing the Light Blues to check as Oxford pulled away.
From Time Magazine Archive
“I think I understand you perfectly, Mr. Coxswain; but I don’t intend to return to the ship under any circumstances.”
From Up The Baltic Young America in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark by Optic, Oliver
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
