Dictionary

roustabout

noun roust·about \ˈras-tə-ˌbat\

: a worker in an oil field, at a circus, etc., whose job requires strength but little skill

Full Definition of ROUSTABOUT

1
a :  deckhand
b :  longshoreman
2
:  an unskilled or semiskilled laborer especially in an oil field or refinery
3
:  a circus worker who erects and dismantles tents, cares for the grounds, and handles animals and equipment
4
:  a person with no permanent home or regular occupation; also :  one who stirs up trouble
ADVERTISEMENT

First Known Use of ROUSTABOUT

1868

Related to ROUSTABOUT

Synonyms
docker [chiefly British], dockhand, longshoreman, dockworker, rouster, stevedore

Browse

Next Word in the Dictionary: rousterPrevious Word in the Dictionary: roustAll Words Near: roustabout
ADVERTISEMENT
How to use a word that (literally) drives some people nuts.
Test your vocab with our fun, fast game
Ailurophobia, and 9 other unusual fears