haymaker
/ˈheɪmeɪkɚ/ noun, proper noun
Forms haymakers
- noun (agriculture) A person or machine which harvests or prepares tall grass for use as animal fodder.
- noun (informal, fisticuffs) A particularly powerful punch, especially one which knocks down an opponent, thrown like a scythe chop for cutting hay, as agricultural haymakers used to have strong arms.
- noun (figuratively, by extension) Any decisive blow, shock, or forceful action.
- proper noun A surname.
Synonyms
Etymology
From Middle English heymakere; equivalent to hay + maker.
An occupational surname, from haymaker.
Webster’s 1913
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “haymaker”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details