Pointsman
noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A man in charge of railroad points (switches). British
"The signalman, as such, was unknown at first. At junctions, or for shunting, the pointsman was responsible both for setting the points and working the appropriate signals, the two being independent. As a result, accidents were comparatively frequent, and the pointsman's job was, at best, a hazardous one."
- 2 a policeman stationed at an intersection to direct traffic wordnet
Antonyms
All antonymsExample
More examples"The signalman, as such, was unknown at first. At junctions, or for shunting, the pointsman was responsible both for setting the points and working the appropriate signals, the two being independent. As a result, accidents were comparatively frequent, and the pointsman's job was, at best, a hazardous one."
Etymology
From points + man.