I. ˈ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ noun
Etymology: Middle English scolemaister, from scole school + maister master
1. : a male schoolteacher: as
a. : the teacher of an old-type rural or small-town school
in colonial New England, the schoolmaster was boarded around
b. : the headmaster of a school
c. : a master or preceptor in a school
d. obsolete : a private tutor
2. : one acting as a teacher or resembling a teacher in effect or behavior: as
a. : one having a guiding or inspiring influence
the schoolmaster of medieval Europe
b. : one exhibiting the pedantry and despotism popularly attributed to old-time schoolteachers
3. : a reddish brown edible snapper ( Lutjanus apodus ) of the tropical Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico with large scales, vertical greenish bars on the sides, and greenish orange fins — called also black snapper
II. transitive verb
: to train or instruct in the manner of a schoolmaster ; especially : to force into conformity by constant supervision or faultfinding
the children, obviously much schoolmastered, had lost their natural initiative
purists who would schoolmaster the language
intransitive verb
: to be or act as a schoolmaster : teach as a means of livelihood
returned to schoolmastering
III. noun
Etymology: school (IV) + master
: a member of a school of fishes or whales that appears to be the leader