powder monkey

powder monkey

1. obsolete slang Someone, typically an older boy or young man, who served aboard naval vessels with the primary duty of transporting gunpowder from its storage container to the various artillery of the ship. Now a decorated Admiral, he got his start in the a powder monkey for the Royal Navy at the tender age of 13. To be a powder monkey on a ship back then was to risk one's life every single day.
2. slang By extension, someone who specializes in the use of explosives or pyrotechnics. My grandfather was one of the powder monkeys who helped blast through the rock with dynamite when they were building the Oroville Dam back in the late '60s. I got a job as a powder monkey for the annual Fourth of July fireworks display.
See also: monkey, powder
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

powder monkey

n. a specialist in the use of dynamite. (see also grease monkey.) How long do powder monkeys usually live?
See also: monkey, powder
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • powder boy
  • drop
  • drop someone
  • dropped
  • flag
  • flagged
  • flagging
  • flash
  • flash on
  • flashing
References in periodicals archive
Munch reproduced this song both in his article and in his book, and also made it the subject of another article for the journal of American Folklore under the title 'Whatever Became of "Little Powder Monkey Jim"?', which looked at how the song had fared over time.
They were known as 'powder monkeys' and were press-ganged into what could be a terrifying atmosphere on board ship.
POWDER MONKEY: For 200 years boys of all ages have thrilled to the tales of the Napoleonic Wars.
The Powder Monkey, on Wiltshire Drive in Wallsend, reopened its doors in August following a refurbishment.
Octopus The court heard that Glasgow-born Laverty, now 36, was working as a chef at the Powder Monkey pub in Exmouth, Devon, in 2002.
A drop to the lowest grade was all Powder Monkey needed to get the second win of her career at the age of eight.
The Jolly Bowman and The Powder Monkey, in Wallsend, and The Drift Inn in Seaton Burn want permission for shelters to cater for smoking customers.
In the heat of battle, as powder monkey Sam and his friend American Richard fetch cartridges to fire at the enemy, Pritchard puts them into a hold.
Everyone welcome afterwards to the Powder Monkey Pub, Wiltshire Drive, Wallsend.
C Division: Coxlodge & Gosforth 0 The Nautilus 5, Powder Monkey 3 Lochside 1, Westbourne Soc 2 St Peter's Soc 0, Heaton Meadowfield 1 Wallsend Coronation 1.
Friends please meet for service and cremation at Whitley Bay Crematorium on Tuesday 6th September at 11.15am, afterwards at The Powder Monkey Wallsend from 12.00 noon.
I scurried to and fro along the powder monkey's run, through the choking clouds of burnt powder, avoiding the great guns as they leapt in recoil.
"We feel that the Powder Monkey is an integral part of the community, so we're delighted to be able to give back to the people who need support."
Friends and family are welcome afterwards to the Powder Monkey Pub, Wiltshire Drive for a farewell toast to Brian.
Ben's friends, including his best pals Ryan Tate, Johnathan Jeffries, Danny Johnson, Scott McLeod and Chloe Daglish, will be holding a get-together for him and heading to the Powder Monkey Pub, in Wallsend, before releasing Chinese lanterns.