Spearman

[f. SPEAR sb.¹ Cf. SPEARSMAN.]

  1.  A soldier or warrior armed with a spear; one who carries a spear as a weapon.

1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 7753. Of kniȝtes & squiers, Speremen auote & bowemen, & al so arblasters.

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, XV. 220. To the ficht Maknakill then Come with twa hundreth of gude sper-men.

c. 1400.  Laud Troy Bk., 16671. The speremen ride, the bowemen schote.

c. 1500.  Melusine, 219. Thenne mounted spere men on horsback, and bygane euery man to marche forth in fayre aray.

1591.  Savile, Tacitus, Hist., II. xxxiii. 73. With him a valiant companie of Prætorian cohorts, of spearemen and horse departed away.

1665.  Manley, Grotius’ Low C. Wars, 451. Against whom was sent Lewis of Nassau, with 400 Spear-men.

1790.  Cowper, Odyss., III. 504. Beside him, he bade sleep the spearman bold.

1807.  Wordsw., White Doe, VI. 123. A Spearman brought him to the ground.

1865.  J. H. Ingraham, Pillar of Fire, xi. 128. The Egyptian army consist[s] … of bowmen, spearmen,… and other corps.

  b.  A royal or civic officer bearing a spear.

c. 1640.  R. Sempill, Piper of Kilbarchan, 29. At fairs he play’d before the Spear-men, All gaily graithed in their gear-men.

1674.  Blount, Glossogr. (ed. 4), Pensioners,… are the more noble sort of Guard to the King’s Person…. In Hen. 8. time they were called Spearmen.

  2.  A spearer of fish.

1815.  Scott, Guy M., xxvi. ‘The deil’s in Gabriel!’ said the spearman, as the fragments of glowing wood floated … down the stream.

  3.  U.S. As an insect-name (see quot.).

1868.  Rep. U.S. Commissioner Agric. (1869), 80. Numbers of the Lebia grandis … were taken feeding on the larvæ of the ten-lined spearman (Doryphora 10-lineata).