highwayman

[ hahy-wey-muhn ]
See synonyms for highwayman on Thesaurus.com
noun,plural high·way·men.
  1. (formerly) a holdup man, especially one on horseback, who robbed travelers along a public road.

Origin of highwayman

1
First recorded in 1640–50; highway + -man

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use highwayman in a sentence

  • Thank you for your caution, my good host,” replied Edward; “I thought that they were highwaymen, or something of that sort.

  • Before he was well clear of the town the highwaymen cantered past him on three well-bred active horses.

  • The reason for this was soon evident, as immediately after him appeared the three highwaymen in pursuit.

  • Both, though bold and extraordinary men, were merely highwaymen.

    Lavengro | George Borrow
  • Most of these fellows are the colonial version of the highwaymen, at home.

    A Final Reckoning | G. A. Henty

British Dictionary definitions for highwayman

highwayman

/ (ˈhaɪˌweɪmən) /


nounplural -men
  1. (formerly) a robber, usually on horseback, who held up travellers

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012