Obs. Pl. -men.
1. One of the ‘men’ or pieces used in any game played on a board, esp. backgammon.
1483. Cath. Angl., 376/1. A Tabylle man, scaccus…, calculus.
1534. Camden Misc. (1855), 39. One paire of tables of peerle,… withoute table men.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 158. A Soft Body dampeth the Sound…. And therefore … in Colleges they use to line the Tablemen.
1641. Hinde, J. Bruen, xl. 123. He saw everywhere Cards and Dise, Tables and Tablemen.
1725. Sloane, Jamaica, II. 136. The wood [Guaiacum] is … good for bowls, tables, table-men, and cabinets.
1905. Fiske, Chess in Iceland, 89. The list of chess boards and chessmen, table-boards and table-men in the king’s possession.
2. Applied in contempt to a gamester.
1608. Dekker, Lanth. & Candle Lt., D j b. Knowing that your most selected Gallants are the only Table-men that are plaid withal at Ordinaries. Ibid. (1609), Gvlls Horne-bk., Introd. 2. All the painted table-men about you, take you to be heires apparant to rich Midasse.
