matlo(w slang.
(ˈmætləʊ)
[Phonetic ad. F. matelot sailor.]
A sailor. Cf. matelot.
| 1903 Kipling Traffics & Discov. (1904) 58 Simultaneous it hits the Pusser that 'e'd better serve out mess pork for the poor matlow. 1908 Westm. Gaz. 31 July 2/1 Evolutions and exercises to keep the modern ‘matlow’ busy and happy. 1914 ‘Bartimeus’ Naval Occasions xxii. 200 In less formal surroundings..he is wont to refer to himself as a ‘matlow’. 1916 ‘Taffrail’ Pincher Martin ii. 16 Matloes, Pincher, the same as you an' me. 1946 News Chron. 27 June 2 (R.N. Advt.), It's a good life and a good job, too! I'm a Matlo—Able Seaman to you. 1974 S. E. Morison European Discovery of America: Southern Voyages xiii. 316 Magellan was always a sailor's sailor, and os rudos marinheiros, as Camoëns called the common ‘matlow’ of that era, always stood by him in his contests with officers. |