daysman

daysman

A farmer hires a daysman to help with the harvest.

Definition
  1. Noun (archaic):
    • An umpire or mediator: "daysman" refers to a person appointed to settle a dispute or act as an arbitrator between two parties.
    • A day laborer: In historical usage, "daysman" also denotes a worker hired by the day, especially for manual or unskilled tasks.
Usage Examples

  • As an umpire or mediator:

    • Neither side could agree, so they sought a daysman to resolve the conflict. (They looked for a neutral person to arbitrate.)
    • In the old legal system, a daysman was often called to judge between neighbors. (He served as a judge in local disputes.)

  • As a day laborer:

    • The farmer hired a daysman to help with the harvest. (A worker paid daily for agricultural labor.)
    • Daysmen were common in the 19th century, working for a wage each day without long-term contracts. (They were temporary workers.)
Advanced Usage

  • "to act as daysman": to serve as a mediator or arbitrator.

    • He was asked to act as daysman in the land dispute. (He took on the role of a neutral intermediary.)

  • "daysman's wage": the pay given to a day laborer.

    • The daysman's wage was barely enough to feed his family. (The daily payment for temporary work.)
Variants and Related Words

  • Daywork (n): work done by the day, often manual labor.

    • He preferred daywork over a fixed contract. (He chose daily employment.)

  • Day labor (n): work paid on a daily basis.

    • Day labor was common in construction during that era. (Temporary daily employment.)
Synonyms
  • Mediator: a person who tries to bring about agreement between others.
  • Arbitrator: an independent person who resolves a dispute.
  • Umpire: a person who rules on disputes in a game or contest.
  • Laborer: a person engaged in physical work.
Related Idioms
  • "No daysman between us": a biblical phrase meaning there is no mediator or judge to settle a disagreement.
    • The two brothers had a falling out, and there was no daysman between them. (No one could reconcile their conflict.)
Cultural and Historical Note
  • The word "daysman" appears in the King James Bible (Job 9:33): Here, it refers to a mediator who could arbitrate between God and humanity. This religious usage has largely fallen out of modern English, but the term remains in historical and literary contexts.