English
swagman
Pronunciation
  • IPA: /ˈswæɡmæn/
Noun

swagman (plural swagmen)

  1. (Australia, historical) An itinerant person who walks from farm to farm carrying a swag and seeking work, often in exchange for food and lodging.
    • 1902, Barbara Baynton, The Chosen Vessel, Bush Studies, 2007, Echo Library, [http://books.google.com/books?id=IaZ9TvJtCagC&pg=PA89&lpg=PA89&dq=%22swagman%22|%22swagmen%22+-intitle:%22%22+-inauthor:%22%22&source=bl&ots=c0Y6qCUoD8&sig=oXv6XKm1YlamPoYfv1zKYO1UtK8&hl=en&sa=X&ei=uC50UJPdCqiUigLp3YCoCA&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22swagman%22|%22swagmen%22%20-intitle%3A%22%22%20-inauthor%3A%22%22&f=false page 89],
      She was not afraid of horsemen; but swagmen, going to, or worse, coming from the dismal, drunken little township, a day′s journey beyond, terrified her. One had called at the house today, and asked for tucker.
    • 2007, Melissa Harper, The Ways of the Bushwalker: On Foot in Australia, [http://books.google.com/books?id=Y7l1dfRuJ40C&pg=PA100&lpg=PA100&dq=%22swagman%22|%22swagmen%22+-intitle:%22%22+-inauthor:%22%22&source=bl&ots=yitAC6SNgv&sig=WPfc6jLWQYJ-cqiTry_ShfZLfDE&hl=en&sa=X&ei=jyZ0UPi1LcGYiQKxkIHoBA&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22swagman%22|%22swagmen%22%20-intitle%3A%22%22%20-inauthor%3A%22%22&f=false page 100],
      In his prose works Landlopers and Knocking Round, Brereton penned affectionate portraits of shearers, swagmen and farmers′ wives, based on people he had met on his walks.
    • 2009, Bronwyn Sell, John Caffrey, c.1850-87, Law Breakers and Mischief Makers: 50 Notorious New Zealanders, 2010, ReadHowYouWant, [http://books.google.com/books?id=brAbPQExTocC&pg=PA72&lpg=PA72&dq=%22swagman%22|%22swagmen%22+-intitle:%22%22+-inauthor:%22%22&source=bl&ots=nHC7oCFf6l&sig=SJn0ArtV9j_a55cKzWm7sProHLo&hl=en&sa=X&ei=jyZ0UPi1LcGYiQKxkIHoBA&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22swagman%22|%22swagmen%22%20-intitle%3A%22%22%20-inauthor%3A%22%22&f=false page 72],
      The policeman thought it best to surprise the man, since he might be armed, so he disguised himself as a swagman and pounced as the man returned from his bridge-painting job.
  2. (US, slang) A fence, a middleman for transactions of stolen goods.
    • 1971 November 22, Frank E. Emerson, They Can Get It for You BETTER Than Wholesale, New York, [http://books.google.com/books?id=6uICAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA34&lpg=PA34&dq=%22swagman%22|%22swagmen%22+-intitle:%22%22+-inauthor:%22%22&source=bl&ots=6f3T173jl6&sig=IWfWp046ff_J6YgkXeoBnqC-76M&hl=en&sa=X&ei=PBl0UJG_CuSimQWwq4CwBQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22swagman%22|%22swagmen%22%20-intitle%3A%22%22%20-inauthor%3A%22%22&f=false page 34],
      According to Tommy, the mob uses swagmen like himself as down-the-line distributors for these large jobs.
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