| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. |
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| boatswain |
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| SYLLABICATION: | boat·swain |
| PRONUNCIATION: | b s n |
| VARIANT FORMS: | also bo's'n or bos'n or bo·sun |
| NOUN: | A warrant officer or petty officer in charge of a ship's rigging, anchors, cables, and deck crew. | | ETYMOLOGY: | Middle English botswein : bot, boat; see boat + swein, mate; see swain.
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| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
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