hod-carrier

A hod-carrier carries a full hod of bricks up a ladder at a construction site.

Definition

Noun:
A hod-carrier is a person whose job is to carry a hod (a long-handled trough or box used for carrying bricks, mortar, or other materials) on a construction site. This term is often used to refer to an unskilled laborer who assists bricklayers or masons.

Usage Examples

• (A construction worker transporting building materials.)
• (An entry-level role in construction.)

Advanced Usage

• "Hod-carrier" as a metaphor: In figurative language, the term can be used to describe someone who performs menial or supportive tasks without much recognition.
  • In the political campaign, he was just a hod-carrier, doing the grunt work while others took the credit. (A person doing low-status labor.)

Variants and Related Words

• Hod (n): a trough or box with a long handle, used for carrying bricks or mortar.
  • The hod was filled with wet cement for the wall.
• Hodman (n): an alternative term for a hod-carrier, especially in British English.
  • The hodman passed bricks up to the bricklayer on the second floor.

Synonyms

• Laborer: a person who does physical work, especially in construction.
• Bricklayer's assistant: a helper who supports a bricklayer by carrying materials.
• Mason's tender: a worker who supplies a mason with tools and materials.

Related Idioms

• "Carry the hod": to perform hard, menial labor, often in a construction context.
  • He started by carrying the hod, but now he runs the entire site. (He began with the lowest job and advanced.)

Usage Instructions

• This term is primarily used in British and American English within the context of construction or manual trades. It is often considered an archaic or specialized term, as modern job titles like "construction laborer" or "mason's assistant" are more common.