Houghman
/ˈhɒxmən/noun
A person who houghs, traditionally by cutting or hamstringing an animal.
Did you know?The underlying word hough originally referred to the heel or hock of an animal and later became a verb meaning to hamstring it, giving the compound its harsh physical imagery.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*hanhaz
“The heel, hock, or rear joint of the leg”
Old English
Old English
hōh
“The heel or hock of a person or animal”
Middle English
Middle English
hough
“The hind joint or hock of an animal”
16th Century
English
hough
“To cut or hamstring an animal at the hock”
18th–19th Century
English/Scots
houghman
“A person who houghs or hamstrings animals”
Modern English
English
houghman
“An archaic or dialectal term for someone who houghs”