Definition

Noun: 1. A person, historically a boy, whose job was to carry gunpowder from the ship's magazine to the cannons on a warship. This role was common during the age of sailing ships and involved a dangerous and essential task in naval warfare.

Usage

The term is historical and refers specifically to a role on military sailing vessels. * In the 18th century, a powder monkey had one of the most perilous jobs on the ship. * The captain ordered the powder monkeys to be ready for the impending battle.

Advanced Usage

• The term can be used metaphorically to describe someone who performs a risky, subordinate support role in a modern context, though this is rare.
  • In the high-stakes project, he felt like a powder monkey, ferrying critical data between departments under immense pressure.

Variants and Related Words

• Powder (noun): A substance in the form of tiny, loose particles. In this context, it specifically refers to gunpowder.
• Monkey (noun): A primate. Here, it is used in a compound term and does not refer to the animal itself.

Synonyms

• Powder boy: A direct synonym with the same historical meaning.
• Ammunition carrier / runner: A more general modern term for a person who transports ammunition.

Notes on Meaning

• This is a compound noun with a fixed, historical meaning. It is not related to the separate words "powder" or "monkey" in their common uses.
• The role was typically filled by young boys due to their small size, allowing them to move quickly in the confined spaces of a ship.

Noun

1. someone who carries explosives (as from the magazine to the guns on board a warship)