strokesman
(ˈstrəʊksmən)
[f. genit. of stroke n. + man n.1]
† 1. A rubber or masseur. Obs. rare—1.
| 1712 Steele Spect. No. 332 ¶ 3 Though he would not willingly detract from the Merit of that extraordinary Strokes-Man Mr. Sprightly. |
2. One who pulls the stroke-oar in a boat.
| 1769 Falconer Dict. Marine (1780), Strokesman, the person who rows the hindmost oar in a boat, and gives the stroke, which the rest are to follow. 1805 Naval Chron. XIV. 280 A shot carried away the hand of the Strokesman. 1850 H. Melville White Jacket I. xvii. 115 ‘Let him drown!’ cried the strokesman; ‘he's spoiled my watch below for me.’ 1868 Field 4 July 14/3 The steady stroke rowed by Gulston, their strokesman, was deserving of all praise. |