/ Dictionary / Index B boatswain: Meaning and Definition of Find definitions for: boat•swain Pronunciation: (bō'sun spelling pron. bōt'swān&sec), [key] — n. a warrant officer on a warship, or a petty officer on a merchant vessel, in charge of rigging, anchors, cables, etc. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease. See also: boatswain (Thesaurus) boat spike boatswain bird Related Content Daily Word Quiz: neologism Analogy of the Day: Today’s Analogy Spelling Bee: Today’s Spelling Bee Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language