roundsman

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   historically, a poor-law laborer sent in rotation by an English parish to work for local employers, with the parish supplementing the wage

   Under the roundsman system, each roundsman was directed to an employer willing to provide temporary work.

2. 2
   noun

   a worker who makes regular rounds, especially to deliver goods or inspect premises

   The roundsman delivered bread to the same row of houses every morning.

3. 3
   noun

   historically, a supervisory police officer of the rank of sergeant or just below

   The roundsman checked that every patrol officer had reported for duty.

Formed from rounds + man and recorded from the late eighteenth century for a person whose work involved making rounds. The English Poor Law sense arose from the roundsman system, under which applicants for relief were sent among local employers and their wages were supported by the parish.

Topics