The Collaborative International Dictionary
Gownsman \Gowns"man\, Gownman \Gown"man\, n.; pl. -men (-men). One whose professional habit is a gown, as a divine or lawyer, and particularly a member of an English university; hence, a civilian, in distinction from a soldier.
Wiktionary
alt. 1 One whose professional habit is a gown, such as a divine, a lawyer, or a member of certain English university. 2 A civilian, in distinction from a soldier. n. 1 One whose professional habit is a gown, such as a divine, a lawyer, or a member of certain English university. 2 A civilian, in distinction from a soldier.
Usage examples of "gownsman".
Possibly I myself was the one sole gownsman who had not then found my attention fixed by his most heterogeneous reputation.
Battle of the Togati and the Town--Raff--A Night--Scene in the High-Street, Oxford--Description of the Combatants-- Attack of the Gownsmen upon the Mitre--Evolutions of the Assailants--Manoeuvres of the Proctors and Bull--Dogs-- Perilous Condition of Blackmantle and his Associates, Eglantine, Echo, and Transit--Snug Retreat of Lionise--The High-- Street after the Battle--Origin of the Argotiers, and Invention of Cant--phrases--History of the Intestine Wars and Civil Broils of Oxford, from the Time of Alfred--Origin of the late Strife--Ancient Ballad--Retreat of the Togati-- Reflections of a Freshman--Black Matins, or the Effect of late Drinking upon early Risers--Visit to Golgotha, or the Place of Sculls--Lecture from the Big--Wigs--Tom Echo receives Sentence of Rustication 246 TOWNE AND GOWNE 263 THE STAGE COACH, OR THE TRIP TO BRIGHTON.
Apollo, And some papers which, hardly five minutes before, Three respectable gownsmen had left at the door.
He accumulated considerable property as a confectioner, from placing his daughters, who were pretty genteel girls, behind his counter, where they attracted a great many gownsmen to the shop.
And in this way, spite of all remonstrance, was I dragged through the lane and enlisted with the rest of my companions into a corps of university men who were just forming themselves in the High-street to repel the daring attack of the very scum of the city, who had ill-treated and beaten some gownsmen in the neighbourhood of St.
After a variety of conjectures and vague reports, each at variance with the other, and evidently deficient in the most remote connexion with the true cause of the strife, it was agreed to submit the question to the waiter, as a neutral observer, who assured us that the whole affair arose out of a trifling circumstance, originating with some mischievous boys, who, having watched two gownsmen into a cyprian temple in the neighbourhood of Saint Thomas, circulated a false report that they had carried thither the wives of two respectable mechanics.
Christchurch Meadows were abandoned by the classic gownsmen, and the aquatic sons of Brazen-nose and Jesus had been compelled to yield the palm of marine superiority to their more powerful opponents, the athletic men of Exeter.