ˈhaymaker
[f. hay n.1]
1. A man or woman employed in making hay; esp. one engaged in lifting, tossing, and spreading the hay after it is mown.
| 14.. Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 582/36 Fenissa, a heymakere. 1528 MS. Acc. St. John's Hosp., Canterb., For mete & drynk for the hay makers. 1590 Greene Never too late (1600) 103 A womans smile is as good to a Louer, as a sunshine day to a haymaker. 1770 Wesley Jrnl. 28 July, A shower brought all the haymakers home. 1853 Lytton My Novel i. iii, For the refreshment of the thirsty haymakers. |
2. An apparatus for shaking up and drying hay.
| 1853 Catal. R. Agric. Soc. Show Gloucester 67 Patent Improved Double Action Haymaker. 1862 J. Wilson Farming 149 Haymakers are valuable implements. |
3. pl. The name of a country-dance. Also called haymakers' jig.
4. a. A swinging blow. slang or colloq.
| 1912 Ade Knocking Neighbors 87 Every time he landed a crushing Hay-Maker on her Family History she countered with a short-arm Jolt. 1918 Amer. Mag. Apr. 113/3 ‘Gitteloutahere,’ panted Slough, aiming a hay⁓maker at Doug. 1924 Glasgow Herald 18 July 10 It was not at all improbable that Eagan would bring over a ‘haymaker’ and put the Englishman out. 1925 J. J. Corbett Roar of Crowd 87, I deliberately pulled my right back and swung ‘hay-makers’ at Choinyski, intending to miss him. 1938 I. Kuhn Assigned to Adventure xxix. 305 Mrs. Medvedeff..emerged once more and landed a haymaker on her husband's chin. 1961 J. Heller Catch-22 (1962) xlii. 442 ‘I'm going to punch Captain Black right in the nose the next time I see him,’ gloried the chaplain, throwing two left jabs in the air and then a clumsy haymaker. ‘Just like that.’ 1972 ‘E. Lathen’ Murder without Icing (1973) xxii. 189 Rising from a collision, he had thrown off his glove and landed a haymaker. |
b. Cricket. A sweeping stroke with the bat.
| 1954 J. Fingleton Ashes crown Year 117 Davidson tried his luck with a hay-maker off Tattersall and Graveney..took a splendid catch. 1955 Times 24 June 14/2 There were only a few haymakers from Wardle left. |