English edit

Etymology 1 edit

From Middle English ledes-man (a military commander”, “a general); equivalent to leads (the genitive form of lead: “a leading”, “a directing”, “a guiding”) + man.

Alternative forms edit

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

leadsman (plural leadsmen)

  1. (obsolete) lodesman (a leader or guide)

References edit

  • †Leadsman¹” listed on page 145 of volume VI, part 1 (L, M) of A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles [1st ed., 1908]
      †Leadsman¹. Obs. [f. leads, genitive of Lead sb.² + Man.] A guide, = Lodesman. [¶] c 1510 Gest R. Hode vii. 369 in Child Ballads (1888) III. 74/1, I wyll be your ledës-man, And lede you the way. 1598 Barret Theor. Warres 29 They find their leadsman before them in their due distance.
  • †leadsman¹” listed in the Oxford English Dictionary [2nd ed., 1989]

Etymology 2 edit

From (genitive form of) lead (heavy metal; Pb) + man.

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

leadsman (plural leadsmen)

  1. (nautical) A sailor who takes soundings with a lead, measuring the depth of water.
    • 1808–10, William Hickey, Memoirs of a Georgian Rake, Folio Society 1995, p. 205:
      In the same moment the leadsman hove the lead, and, finding it directly take the ground, he, in his fright, called out, ‘There's only three fathom.’
Translations edit

See also edit

References edit

  • Leadsman²” listed on page 145 of volume VI, part 1 (L, M) of A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles [1st ed., 1908]
      Leadsman² (le·dzmăn). [f. gen. of Lead sb.¹ + Man.] The man who ‘heaves’ the lead in taking soundings. [¶; 4 quots.: 1857, 1867, 1875, 1891]
  • leadsman²” listed in the Oxford English Dictionary [2nd ed., 1989]

Anagrams edit