Nautical Term: Beachcomber

Definition of Beachcomber

A Beachcomber refers to a seaman who finds himself unemployed and stranded on the shore, particularly in a foreign country. This term signifies a seaman without a ship, who must eke out a living as best he can on the beach.

For instance, consider the following paragraph: The storm had left the old sailor, Tom, high and dry on the beach. With no ship to call his own and no prospects of finding work as a seaman anytime soon, Tom was forced to live as a beachcomber, scouring the beach for any valuable items that might wash ashore, or even trying his hand at selling souvenirs to tourists who visited the beach.

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