deck hand
Americannoun
noun
-
a seaman assigned various duties, such as mooring and cargo handling, on the deck of a ship
-
(in Britain) a seaman over 17 years of age who has seen sea duty for at least one year
-
a helper aboard a yacht
Etymology
Origin of deck hand
An Americanism dating back to 1835–45
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.
He works as a deck hand, helping to load coal onto river barges.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 29, 2025
The deck hand went onto the deck to close the yacht's windows.
From BBC ● May 14, 2025
Chuck Bundrant, an epic figure in North Pacific fisheries who started his career as a deck hand on a crabber and went on to cofound Seattle-based Trident Seafoods, died Sunday at his Edmonds home.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 17, 2021
Two bags, filled with six cans of Planters mixed nuts and seven boxes of K-Cup coffee, were quickly tied on by the Westcott’s deck hand and hoisted aboard the freighter.
From New York Times ● Aug. 20, 2016
The deck hand, with his $150,000, had the largest amount of gold of any one in the crowd.
From All about the Klondyke gold mines by Knox, J. Armoy
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.
