paper mann.
/ˈpeɪpə man/, U.S. /ˈpeɪpər ˈmæn/ 1. A man who works in the paper industry or newspaper business. In later use chiefly: a man who sells newspapers; a newsagent.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > worker > workers according to type of work > manual or industrial worker > producer > maker of paper > [noun]
paper maker1574
paper man1618
paper-miller1814
1618 B. Holyday Technogamia i. vi. sig. C Faith you had best turne Paper-man, & sell Maps.
1619 S. Purchas Microcosmus lv. 522 The Printer,..Inke-man, Paper-man, Corrector.
1753 H. Walpole Lett. (1846) II. 469 I have..paper-men to scold.
1801 J. A. Fahrenkrüger Bailey's Dict., Eng.-German & German-Eng. 399/1 Papierkramer,..paper-man.
1855 ‘F. Fern’ Ruth Hall 253 We are head over ears in debt to that paper man.
1916 Boys' Life Nov. 4/1 ‘Whom should we see to talk over the starting of a paper here,’ went on Tom. ‘Air [sic] you a paper man?’ cried the land-lord.
1977 ‘J. Gash’ Judas Pair ix. 106 The paperman grinning and the kiosk lady enjoying the show.
2002 Daily Record (Glasgow) (Nexis) 5 Dec. The milk man, paper man and bread man were all waiting to meet me at the door.
2. U.S. slang (chiefly Jazz). A musician, esp. a drummer, who plays from sheet music rather than by improvisation.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > music > musician > instrumentalist > [noun] > playing from music
sight-player1909
paper man1936
1936 Metronome Feb. 21/4 Paper man, drummer who plays only what's written.
1936 Delineator 129 10/3 We have heard that no music is used... No, indeed! Papermen are not welcome in this esoteric milieu.
1970 C. Major Dict. Afro-Amer. Slang 89 Paper man, musician..who plays according to written music.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2005; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1618