Definition

1. Noun:
   • A laborer who carries supplies to masons or bricklayers: A "hodman" is a worker whose primary job is to transport materials like bricks, mortar, or plaster in a hod (a V-shaped trough on a pole) to support skilled construction workers.

Usage

• The term is specific to the construction trade, particularly historical or traditional bricklaying and masonry work.
• It describes an unskilled or semi-skilled assistant role.
• It can be used literally or metaphorically to describe someone who performs routine, heavy, or unglamorous supporting work.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The hodman steadily climbed the ladder, balancing a full load of bricks for the bricklayers.
  • In the 19th century, a hodman was an essential but low-paid figure on any major building site.

Advanced Usage

• Metaphorical Use: Can describe a person who does the heavy, mundane work for others, especially in intellectual or creative fields.
  • He worked as a literary hodman, ghostwriting speeches for the famous politician.

Variants and Related Words

• Hod (n): The V-shaped container or trough, often made of wood or metal, mounted on a pole, used for carrying bricks or mortar.
• Hod carrier (n): A synonym for "hodman."
• Laborer (n): A general term for a worker performing physical, often unskilled, tasks.

Synonyms

• Hod carrier
• Builder's laborer
• Construction laborer
• Mason's tender

Notes on Meaning

• The word is now somewhat archaic, as modern construction sites often use machinery for material transport.
• Its metaphorical use persists to evoke imagery of burdensome, supportive, and often overlooked labor.

Noun

1. a laborer who carries supplies to masons or bricklayers