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able seaman

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noun
Also called able-bodied seaman. an experienced deck-department seaman qualified to perform routine sea duties.
(in the British Navy and on British and U.S. merchant ships) a rating between ordinary seaman and leading seaman or boatswain's mate. Abbreviation: A.B., AB
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Origin of able seaman

First recorded in 1695–1705

Words nearby able seaman

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use able seaman in a sentence

  • For sailors are of three classes—able-seaman, ordinary-seaman, and boys; and they receive different wages according to their rank.

  • Roberts was quite willing, and the first man they encountered was the able-seaman Titely.

    Hunting the Skipper|George Manville Fenn
  • "She seems to take to you, Cassidy," remarked the Sub, addressing a bull-necked able-seaman.

    A Sub and a Submarine|Percy F. Westerman
  • The door was opened, and the heavy curtain pushed aside, revealing the anxious features of Able-Seaman Cassidy.

    A Sub and a Submarine|Percy F. Westerman
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