[f. FISHER + MAN.]
1. One whose occupation is to catch fish.
1526. Tindale, Luke v. 2. The fisshermen were gone out of them, and were wasshynge their nettes.
1605. Shaks., Lear, IV. vi. 17.
| The Fishermen, that walk’d vpon the beach | |
| Appeare like Mice. |
1780. Harris, Philol. Eng., Wks. (1841), 429. The story of the well-known Massinello, who, in a few days, from a poor fisherman rose to sovereign authority.
1855. Milman, Lat. Chr. (1864), II. IV. v. 293. St. Gall was a skilful fisherman, and supplied the brethren with fresh fish from the lake.
transf. 1878. Fraser’s Mag., XVIII. Nov., 628/1. The natives are splendid fishermen of money, and will draw ever dollar out of your pocket if they find out where it is.
2. An animal that catches fish. (Cf. also fisherman-diver in 4.)
1634. T. Johnson, Parey’s Chirurg. (1649), 51. Of the Fish called the Fisherman. This fish is called the Fisherman, because he hunts and takes other Fishes, which he doth almost by the same cunning which the Cuttell uses; for he hath hanging at his throat a certain bag, like the Wattels of a Turky-cock.
3. A fishing-boat; a vessel employed in the business of taking fish.
1604. E. Grimstone, Hist. Siege Ostend, 185. There entred six Fisher-men into the Towne whereof one was sunke.
1700. S. L., trans. C. Fryke’s Voy. E. Ind., 356. The 15th we met with an English Fisherman that was coming from Ysland; he was loaden with Salt-fish.
4. attrib. and Comb., as fisherman apostle, pilot; also, fisherman-diver, the merganser; fisherman’s bend, a kind of knot; fisherman’s nightingale, a name for the sedge-warbler; fisherman’s ring (see quots.); fisherman’s walk (see quot.).
1653. Walton, Angler, i. 28. It was our Saviours will that his four *Fishermen Apostles should have a prioritie of nomination in the catalogue of his twelve Apostles.
1885. G. Allen, Babylon, vi. We call him a *fisherman-diver.
1886. Pall Mall G., 8 Sept., 8/2. The suggestion that a *fisherman pilot should be placed on board each of the four cruisers.
c. 1860. H. Stuart, Seaman’s Catech., 2. What is a *fisherman’s bend used for? For bending a hawser to a kedge anchor, &c.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Fisherman’s Bend, a knot, for simplicity called the king of all knots.
1884. Public Opinion, 5 Sept., 299/1. My old angler friends call this bird [the sedge warbler] the *fisherman’s nightingale.
1727–41. Chambers, Cycl., s.v. Seal, The pope has two kinds of seals: the first used in apostolical briefs, and private letters, &c., called the *fisherman’s ring.—This is a very large ring, wherein is represented St. Peter, drawing his net full of fishes.
1877. W. Jones, Finger-ring, 198. The ‘Fisherman’s Ring’ is the Pope’s ring of investiture.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., *Fisherman’s Walk, an extremely confined space, ‘three steps and overboard,’ is often said of what river yachtsmen term their quarter-decks.
