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sandman

American  
[sand-man] / ˈsændˌmæn /

noun

plural

sandmen

  1. the man who, in fairy tales or folklore, puts sand in the eyes of children to make them sleepy.

sandman British  
/ ˈsændˌmæn /

noun

  1. (in folklore) a magical person supposed to put children to sleep by sprinkling sand in their eyes

"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

Etymology

Origin of sandman

First recorded in 1860–65; sand + man

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.

But when she was hit with the deaths of her father and stepfather in rapid, peak COVID-era succession, the sandman took a more extended leave of absence.

From Salon

Garments are dusted with a glimmering sheen, as if visited by the sandman.

From Seattle Times

Menopause, sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome and all kinds of mental health challenges can do a fine job of throwing themselves between us and the sandman.

From Salon

The sandman, it seems, works in nefarious ways.

From Washington Post

The title is from traditional children’s tales of a sandman who comes at bedtime to toss sand in children’s eyes to put them to sleep.

From Washington Post

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.