able seaman
1
7.1
- noun
- /ˈeɪbəl ˈsiːmən/
- Jargon
:
marinero calificado
- In fifty-odd years as a deckhand, stock tender, able seaman, and now captain, I became increasingly alarmed by the growth in plastic debris I was seeing.
Examples
-
We got 12 positions this morning, able seaman or better.
-
On the City of Biloxi, when I was eighteen and an able seaman, we had the testimony of two young men about the married state.
Fiction book (1991) -
You're an able seaman.
-
An able seaman is skilled in navigating and managing the ship while at sea.
-
During the recruitment process, they specifically sought out qualified able seamen for their experience.
-
As an able seaman, she was responsible for handling deck operations and assisting the captain.
Synonyms
1
6.6
A trained, skilled sailor on a merchant ship who helps with navigation and lifeboats
A person on a ship who is fully trained to do all normal jobs
A woman sailor on a merchant ship who is fully trained in deck and safety duties
A woman sailor trained and qualified for special duties on a ship
A person who works on the deck of a ship
How Senior
77
3.1
- Specialized
10
4.8
- Jargon
1
7.1
78
2.3
- Archaic
1
9.8
- Archaic
4
6.5
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly and compositionally derived from 'able' (capable) + 'seaman' (sailor), so a learner who knows both words will infer it refers to a skilled or competent sailor. Although it can also be a specific maritime qualification/rank, that technical nuance does not prevent a B1 learner from understanding the basic, transparent sense.
Etymology
The noun able seaman comes from life on sailing ships: able meant capable and seaman meant sailor, so the term named those who were skilled at handling ropes, sails and boats. That's why able seaman today means 'a trained, experienced sailor'.