bellmann.
/ˈbɛlmən/, U.S. /ˈbɛlmən/ 1. A man who rings a bell; esp. a man employed to go round the streets of a town and make public announcements, to which he attracts attention by ringing a bell; a town-crier.(Formerly a bellman announced deaths, and called on the faithful to pray for the souls of the departed; a bellman also acted as night-watchman, and called the hours).
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > information > announcing or proclaiming > [noun] > announcer or proclaimer > town crier or bellman
criera1387
bellman1391
beadlec1432
forcriera1440
common crier1535
town crier1560
lantern and candle man1592
night-walker1699
yelper1725
1391 in J. Raine Testamenta Eboracensia (1836) I. 163 Le belman portand' campanam per villam..ij.d.
1463 in S. Tymms Wills & Inventories Bury St. Edmunds (1850) 17 Item I wele the ij bellemen haue ij. gownys.
1577 R. Holinshed Chron. II. 1836/1 Certayne houses in Cornehill, being..cryed by a Belman.
1648 R. Herrick Hesperides sig. R I heare the Cock, (The Bell-man of the night).
1660 S. Pepys Diary 16 Jan. (1970) I. 19 I sat up till the bell-man came by..and cried, ‘Past one of the clock, and a cold, frosty, windy morning.’
1858 C. Dickens Let. 3 Nov. (1995) VIII. 694 There is a Bellman announcing something.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > quality of being the best > [noun] > best person
bellman1617
optimate1635
prior1644
stang1808
top-sawyer1826
No. 11843
beyond-man1896
1617 G. Markham Cavelarice (new ed.) v. 53 Repaire to the Stables of great Princes where commonly are the bell-men [1607 best men] of this Art.
Derivatives
ˈbellmanship n. the office of bellman.
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > information > announcing or proclaiming > [noun] > announcer or proclaimer > town crier or bellman > the office of
bellmanship1839
1839 Blackwood's Mag. 46 386 The election of John Tapps to the bellmanship of Buzzleton.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1887; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.1391