powder-monkey
Definition
Noun:
- A historical term for a young boy employed on warships to carry gunpowder from the ship's magazine to the gun crews during battle.
- By extension, any person, especially a child, who performed the dangerous task of transporting explosives or ammunition in military contexts.
Usage Examples
- (A young worker on a naval vessel.)
- (A dangerous role in warfare.)
Advanced Usage
- "to be a powder-monkey": to perform a low-level but critical support role in a high-risk environment.
- In the early days of mining, children were sometimes used as powder-monkeys, carrying blasting powder to the miners. (A historical reference to child labour in dangerous industries.)
Variants and Related Words
- Powder (n): a substance in the form of fine, dry particles, especially gunpowder.
- The powder was stored in a secure magazine. (Explosive material.)
- Monkey (n): a small primate, but also used informally to refer to a child or a person who performs a menial task.
- The monkey was sent to fetch more ammunition. (A colloquial term for a helper.)
Synonyms
- Ammunition carrier: a person who transports ammunition.
- Powder boy: a historical synonym for a powder-monkey.
Related Idioms
- "More powder, monkey!": a fictional or historical exclamation used to order a powder-monkey to bring more gunpowder.
- In the heat of battle, the captain shouted, "More powder, monkey!" (A command for quick resupply.)
- "To work like a powder-monkey": to work very hard and fast under dangerous conditions.
- The rescue team worked like powder-monkeys to clear the rubble. (To work with urgent, risky effort.)