powderman

American  

[pou-der-man, -muhn] / ˈpaʊ dərˌmæn, -mən /

noun

plural

powdermen

1. a person in charge of explosives, especially in a demolition crew.

2. Slang. a safe-cracker who uses explosives to open safes.

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Etymology

Origin of powderman

First recorded in 1660–70; powder ¹ + man

Example Sentences

From 13 on, he worked as a janitor, a cattle weigher, a powderman in a Colorado mine, a highway surveyor, a truck driver, a uranium prospector.

From Time Magazine Archive

Seventeen men were required to work the pivot gun, whose duties were defined in the names applied to them, the powderman being the odd one.

From A Victorious Union by Optic, Oliver

At the outbreak of the Spanish War, he enlisted in Brooklyn as powderman on the battleship Texas.

From Memories of Childhood's Slavery Days by Burton, Annie L.

An 11-inch pivot-gun on its revolving carriage was served by 24 crewmen and a powderman.

From Artillery Through the Ages A Short Illustrated History of Cannon, Emphasizing Types Used in America by Manucy, Albert