coast-waiter

A coast-waiter inspects a shipment of goods at a small port.

Definition

Noun: A coast-waiter is a historical customs officer stationed along a coast to supervise and control goods traded along the shoreline, particularly to prevent smuggling or illegal trading.

Usage Examples

• (The officer checked for illegal goods.)
• (A customs officer oversaw trade by sea.)

Advanced Usage

• Historical context: The term "coast-waiter" is now largely obsolete, used primarily in historical discussions of British customs enforcement.
  • The duties of a coast-waiter included boarding ships to verify cargo manifests. (The officer checked documents on vessels.)

Variants and Related Words

• Coast (n): the land along the edge of a sea or ocean.
  • The coast is lined with fishing villages. (The shoreline is populated.)
• Waiter (n): a person who serves food or, in older usage, an attendant or official.
  • The waiter at the inn brought our meal. (A server in a restaurant.)

Synonyms

• Customs officer: a government official who inspects goods and collects duties at borders or ports.
• Revenue officer: a historical term for an agent who collects taxes or duties.

Related Idioms

• "To keep watch along the coast": to be vigilant for smuggling or illegal activity.
  • The coast-waiter kept watch along the coast for any suspicious ships. (The officer monitored the shoreline.)

Note

This word is rarely used in modern English; it is primarily found in historical documents or studies of British maritime law.