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foreman

[fawr-muh n, fohr-]
noun, plural fore·men.
  1. a person in charge of a particular department, group of workers, etc., as in a factory or the like.
  2. the member of a jury selected to preside over and speak for all the jurors on the panel.
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Origin of foreman

1175–1225; Middle English forman chief servant, steward. See fore-, man1
Related formsfore·man·ship, nounsub·fore·man, noun, plural sub·fore·men.sub·fore·man·ship, noun

Usage note

See -man.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

superintendentsupervisorheadhonchopusherexecutivebossmanageroverseertaskmaster

Examples from the Web for foremen

Historical Examples

  • The foremen are specialists in their particular departments.

    The Fabric of Civilization

    Anonymous

  • Wherever there is a factory, you will find all the foremen Protestants—that is, Saxons.

    Ireland as It Is

    Robert John Buckley (AKA R.J.B.)

  • They will not work under Irish foremen, if they can help it.

    Ireland as It Is

    Robert John Buckley (AKA R.J.B.)

  • Not one of the engineers and foremen escaped fever, and many died.

  • Organize work-gangs, and promote the best and most intelligent to foremen.

    Space Viking

    Henry Beam Piper

British Dictionary definitions for foremen

foreman

noun plural -men
  1. a person, often experienced, who supervises other workmenGender-neutral form: supervisor
  2. law the principal juror, who presides at the deliberations of a juryFemale equivalent: forewoman
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Derived Formsforemanship, noun

Foreman

noun
  1. George . born 1949, US boxer: world heavyweight champion (1973–74); retired in 1977 but re-entered the ring in 1987 and won the heavyweight championship in 1994 at age 45
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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

Word Origin and History for foremen

foreman

n.

1530s in the sense of "principal juror;" 1570s in the sense of "principal workman;" from fore- + man (n.). Earliest attested meaning (early 13c.) was "a leader." In 17c., a slang word for "penis."

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper