coxswain

[ kok-suh n, -sweyn ]
/ ˈkɒk sən, -ˌsweɪn /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR coxswain ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the steersman of a racing shell.
a person who is in charge of a ship's boat and its crew, under an officer, and who steers it.

QUIZZES

CHALLENGE YOURSELF WITH THESE WORDS FROM "LITTLE WOMEN"

"Little Women" may be a classic, but that doesn't mean we all know the meanings of the vocab words from the book. Can you define these words correctly and make Jo proud?
Question 1 of 10
earnest
full seriousness, as of intention or purpose.
a feeling of dread, anxiety, or anguish.
urgent character; imperativeness; insistence; importunateness.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT
Also cockswain.

Origin of coxswain

First recorded in 1425–75, coxswain is from the late Middle English word cokeswayne. See cockboat, swain

Words nearby coxswain

coxofemoral, coxotuberculosis, coxsackie encephalitis, coxsackie virus, coxsackievirus, coxswain, coxwell chair, coy, coy., coydog, coyote
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to coxswain

flier, navigator, captain, aviator, leader, shepherd, educate, manage, handle, maneuver, oversee, navigate, govern, influence, instruct, see, train, usher, escort, supervise

Example sentences from the Web for coxswain

British Dictionary definitions for coxswain

coxswain
/ (ˈkɒksən, -ˌsweɪn) /

noun

the helmsman of a lifeboat, racing shell, etcAlso called: cockswain

Word Origin for coxswain

C15: from cock a ship's boat + swain
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012