n. [ Boat + swain. ] 1. (Naut.) An officer who has charge of the boats, sails, rigging, colors, anchors, cables, cordage, etc., of a ship, and who also summons the crew, and performs other duties. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) (a) The jager gull. (b) The tropic bird. [ 1913 Webster ]

Boatswain's mate, an assistant of the boatswain. Totten. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cock a boat + swain; hence, the master of a boat. ] The steersman of a boat; a petty officer who has charge of a boat and its crew. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Cockswain. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From Dag a loose end? ] A coarse woolen fabric made of daglocks, or the refuse of wool. “Under coverlets made of dagswain.” Holinshed. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. swain, swein, Icel. sveinn a boy, servant; akin to Sw. sven, Dan. svend, AS. swān, OHG. swein. ] 1. A servant. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Him behoves serve himself that has no swain. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A young man dwelling in the country; a rustic; esp., a cuntry gallant or lover; -- chiefly in poetry. [ 1913 Webster ]

It were a happy life
To be no better than a homely swain. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Blest swains! whose nymphs in every grace excel. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to, or resembling, a swain; rustic; ignorant. “An ungentle and swainish beast.” Milton. -- Swain"ish*ness, n. Emerson. [1913 Webster]

n. A little swain. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Swain + mote meeting: cf. LL. swanimotum. ] (Eng. Forest Law) A court held before the verders of the forest as judges, by the steward of the court, thrice every year, the swains, or freeholders, within the forest composing the jury. [ Written also swanimote, and sweinmote. ] Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The condition of a swain. [ 1913 Webster ]