ˈoffice-man
† 1. An officer; an official. Sc. Obs.
| a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (1899) I. 305 [The king] thair tuike wpe house with all maner of office men that was necessar to be had ffor him. 1583 in Maitland Hist. Edin. (1753) 230 The Magistratts and Office Men, sic as the Provest, Baillies, Dean of Gild and Thesaurer. a 1639 Spottiswood Hist. Ch. Scot. vi. (1677) 407 The Ambassador..had office-men standing by him to wait. |
2. A man who works in an office; spec. a detective who remains at headquarters.
| 1904 ‘No. 1500’ Life in Sing Sing xiii. 256/2 Office Man, headquarters detective. 1908 J. M. Sullivan Criminal Slang 17 Office man, headquarters detective. 1921 Daily Colonist (Victoria, B.C.) 12 Oct. 16/2 (Advt.), Wanted—position as office man, watchman, warehouse, or place of trust. 1949 Partridge Dict. Underworld 479/1 Office man, a headquarters detective. |