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pointsman

[ points-muhn ]

noun

, British.
, plural points·men.
  1. a railway switchman.
  2. a police officer who directs traffic, as at an intersection.


pointsman

/ -mən; ˈpɔɪntsˌmæn /

noun

  1. a person who operates railway points US and Canadian equivalentswitchman
  2. a policeman or traffic warden on point duty
“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
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Word History and Origins

Origin of pointsman1

First recorded in 1840–50; point + -s 3 + man
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Example Sentences

That railway porters, pointsmen, guards, firemen, and drivers are, as Mr. Joynes well urges, often badly paid, and nearly always overworked, is true, but making the railways State property would not necessarily improve this.

On this occasion a number of railway guards and pointsmen had been asked; and never shall I forget the sermon he preached to them.

A few days after this interview with the pointsman I was talking to Sister Dora, and said: 'By the bye, Sister, I have found out where you went with the cab that day.'

They were "shunting" wagons across the line when the express came up, or the pointsman did n't turn the switch, or the fog obscured the danger signal.

A pointsman will be expected to notice all signals and to obey them.

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