gearman

English

Etymology

From gear +‎ -man.

Noun

gearman (plural gearmen)

1. Someone who is responsible for the maintenance of equipment belonging to a shipping company, railroad, trucking company, or colliery.
   • 1901, Case and Exceptions, page 69:

     As gearman I have to see that the brakes are in perfect order; cars are in running order on 23d Street line at present.

   • 1934, S. A. Garnham, Robert L. Hadfield, The Submarine Cable, page 70:

     In this case the gearman's job consists simply in keeping the slime off the drum with bathbrick and attending to the oiling.

   • 1971, United States. National Labor Relations Board, Decisions and Orders of the National Labor Relations Board, page 494:

     Before a job is begun the nature of the cargo and the gear that will be required is determined; required gear is taken out of stock in the gear locker room by the gearman. It is then loaded on the gear trucks and driven to the pier […]

   • 1997, David Wellman, The Union Makes Us Strong, page 155:

     It is therefore difficult to know where the gearmen's loyalty ends and their employer's dependence begins. Gearmen have an equally complicated relationship with fellow longshoremen.

   • 2006, Wayne Ward, The Last Seaman, page 103:

     Dreamy was working him on the gear with the gearman during the day, checking clusters, replacing burned out bulbs, repairing tents, changing runners, replacing guys, trimming derricks.