ˈ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷mən noun
( plural watermen )
Etymology: Middle English, from water + man
1. : one that works or lives on or is skilled in the ways of water or watercraft: as
a. : a boatman who plies for hire usually on inland waters or harbors
b. : a person who makes his living from the water (as by fishing, crabbing, or oystering)
c. : a sprite or demon inhabiting the water : merman
d. : a person skilled in boating especially as a sport ; often : oarsman
2. : one employed in connection with the distributing or supplying of water: as
a. : a worker who releases water through valves or sluices (as in waterworks or for irrigation)
b. : a worker who waters roads (as in a mine)
c. Britain : an attendant (as on a cabstand) who supplies water to the horses
d. : a worker who quenches coke with water for removal from the oven
e. : a worker who brings billet molds to filling temperature by spraying with hot or cold water
f. : an auto worker who puts water into radiators before cars are driven from the assembly line
3. : a worker who bales into cars water that has collected in a mine for hauling to the surface or who pumps such water to the surface