head-man, headman, head man
Forms: see head n.1
[OE. héafodman: cf. MHG. houbetman, houptman, Ger. hauptmann, ON. höfuðsmaðr, Sw. hufvudman. See head n.1 71.]
1. Chief man, chief, leader. In various contextual applications.
| c 1000 ælfric Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 155/20 Primas, heafodman, uel þegn. a 1123 O.E. Chron. an. 1101 Þa wurdon þa heafodmen wiðerræden toᵹeanes þam cynge. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 123 Ȝif þa hefdmen of þissere worlde hefden icnawen crist. c 1200 Ormin 297 Moysæs wass hæfedd mann Off Issraæle þeode. a 1400–50 Alexander 441 To be halden heuydman of all þe hale werde. 1548 Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. John vii. 50 An headman, & a doctor of the lawe. 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. 164 All Lords, and heidmen of all parts of this Realme. 1791 W. Bartram Carolina 489 The head men, or chiefs of the whole nation, were convened. a 1825 Forby Voc. E. Anglia, Head-man, the chief hind on a farm. 1844 H. H. Wilson Brit. India I. 407 The landholders and head-men of the villages. 1873 Act 36 & 37 Vict. c. 88 §2 The term ‘foreign state’ includes any foreign nation..sovereign, prince, chief, or headman. |
† 2. = headsman 2. Obs. rare.
| 1673 [R. Leigh] Transp. Reh. 69 Probationer for the headmans office. 1816 Byron Parisina xv, The headman [some edd. headsman]..Feels if the axe be sharp and true. |