MID'SHIPMAN, noun In ships of war, a kind of naval cadet, whose business is to second the orders of the superior officers and assist in the necessary business of the ship, particularly in managing the sails, that he may be trained to a knowledge of the machinery, discipline and operations of ships of war, and qualified for naval service.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI