Definition

1. Noun:
   • A hired worker who tends cattle and performs other duties on horseback: A "cowman" is a person, typically a ranch employee, whose job involves looking after cattle. This includes tasks like herding, branding, and general care, often performed while riding a horse.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The ranch owner hired a new cowman to help with the spring roundup.
  • As an experienced cowman, he could rope a calf in seconds.

Advanced Usage

• Historical/Regional Context: The term "cowman" is strongly associated with the cattle ranching culture of the American West and other similar regions like Australia. It often implies a specific set of traditional skills.
  • In the old tales, the life of a cowman was one of hard work and solitude on the open range.

Variants and Related Words

• Cowboy (n): A more common and general synonym for a person who herds and tends cattle, especially in North America.
• Drover (n): A person who drives herds of cattle over long distances.
• Ranch hand (n): A worker on a ranch, which may include duties beyond just tending cattle.
• Cowherd (n): A person who tends cows. (Note: This term is less specific to horseback work than "cowman" or "cowboy").

Synonyms

• Cattleman: A person who owns or tends cattle.
• Herdsman: A person who tends a herd of livestock.
• Wrangler: A worker in charge of horses or cattle on a ranch.

Related Phrases

• To ride herd: To supervise or control a group (literally, to herd cattle on horseback).
  • The manager had to ride herd on the new project team.

Noun

1. a hired hand who tends cattle and performs other duties on horseback