utility man
1
5.2
- noun
- /juˈtɪləti mæn/
- US
:
hombre de mantenimiento
- As a utility man, he was responsible for both maintenance tasks and event setup.
Examples
-
The company hired a utility man to take care of various repair jobs around the office.
-
You're there because you are as you are a utility man, meaning you are just as fundamental.
-
Hey, Smokey, the super says he needs a utility man down in paint room three.
-
During the busy season, the restaurant relied on a utility man to assist with multiple roles in the kitchen.
Synonyms
50
2.7
A person who fixes and looks after things around a home or workplace
3
3.0
A person who fixes and takes care of public services like power and water
2
9.9
A person who does many different jobs for someone else
1
3.9
A man who does small repair jobs around the home
A female worker who does different jobs when needed
A person who can do several different jobs and move between roles when needed
How Versatile
- Informal
1
4.3
9
5.5
- US
1
5.2
79
1.0
352
3.9
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is largely compositional: 'utility' (usefulness/versatility) combined with 'man' (a male person) yields the idea of a man who is useful or versatile. However, the specific sports-domain sense 'utility man' = a baseball player who covers several positions is a specialized extension that a B1 learner may not predict without exposure, so the phrase is only partially transparent.
Etymology
Utility man comes from the idea of a worker who is useful in many jobs: utility means usefulness and man means a worker who can 'fill in' where needed, so the phrase now means someone who can do many different tasks.