workman
/'wə:kmən/
Definition
Noun: 1. A person employed to perform physical or skilled labor, especially in a trade or industry: A workman is typically a manual or industrial laborer, often possessing specific skills or training for a particular craft or task. 2. An employee engaged in practical work, often involving the use of tools or machinery: This term emphasizes the hands-on, practical nature of the job, distinguishing it from administrative or purely intellectual work.
Usage and Examples
- As a general term for a skilled laborer:
- The workman arrived early to fix the broken pipe.
- A team of workmen was hired to build the new shed.
- Referring to a person's skill or quality of work:
- A bad workman always blames his tools. (This is a common proverb.)
- He is a conscientious workman, always taking pride in his craft.
Advanced Usage and Nuances
- The term often implies a degree of skill, training, or membership in a trade (e.g., carpenter, electrician, plumber), though it can also refer to general laborers.
- "Workmanlike" (adjective): Describes something done with competent, efficient skill but without exceptional artistry or inspiration.
- The repair was workmanlike and solid, if not beautiful.
- The plural form is workmen. In modern, gender-neutral contexts, terms like worker, laborer, technician, or the specific job title (e.g., carpenter) are often preferred.
Variants and Related Words
- Workmanlike (adj): Competent and efficient but not outstanding or inspired.
- Workmanship (n): The degree of skill with which a product is made or a job is done.
- The excellent workmanship is evident in the fine details of the cabinet.
Synonyms
- Laborer: A person doing unskilled manual work.
- Artisan: A worker in a skilled trade, especially one that involves making things by hand.
- Craftsman: A person who is skilled in a particular craft.
- Tradesman: A person engaged in a trade, typically requiring skilled manual labor.
- Technician: A person skilled in the technical aspects of a field.
Idioms and Phrases
- "A bad workman blames his tools": A proverb meaning that someone who is unskilled often blames their equipment for their poor results, rather than their own lack of ability.
- "A workman is known by his work": The quality of a person's work reveals their character and skill.
Noun
-
an employee who performs manual or industrial labor
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