swagman

[ swag-muh n ]

/ ˈswæg mən /

noun, plural swag·men. Australian.

a tramp, hobo, or vagabond.

anyone who carries a swag while traveling, as a camper or prospector.

Nearby words

Origin of swagman

First recorded in 1875–80; swag² + -man

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for swagman

If it was a footman (swagman), and he was short of tobacco, old Howlett always had half a stick ready for him.
On the Track|Henry Lawson
Well, the only thing left to tell you is where the swagman came in.
A Little Bush Maid|Mary Grant Bruce
The man was a Foot Traveller, or Swagman, and presented a somewhat singular appearance.
The Childerbridge Mystery|Guy Boothby
The swagman dodged and parried, and soon put in a swinging blow on the left temple.
The Book of the Bush|George Dunderdale

The trouble was that he couldn't make up his mind whether to be a Traveller or a Swagman.
The Magic Pudding|Norman Lindsay

British Dictionary definitions for swagman

swagman

/ (ˈswæɡˌmæn, -mən) /

noun plural -men

Australian and NZ informal a labourer who carries his personal possessions in a pack or swag while travelling about in search of work; vagrant workerAlso called: swagger, swaggie

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