sparkies

Noun

sparky (plural sparkies)

1. (Navy, US) A radio operator.
   • The headlines ground out big and black at home, but by the time they had gone out on the Fleet broadcast circuits, been picked out of the air by Mr. Woodside′s sparkies in the radio shack, whacked onto a stencil and run through a mimeograph machine by Harry Dolliver, they were not nearly so...1964, Arnold S. Lott, Brave Ship, Brave Men, published 1994, page 77
2. (Australia, New Zealand, UK) An electrician.
   • […]the manager of one of the largest hotels, also a committee member ‘let it be known that sparkies working for the hotel should be involved in the programme. The next day saw three very keen contractors ring us up to enrol.’2001, Jane Kenway, Peter Kelly, Sue Willis, “6: Manufacturing the Global Locality, Customizing the School and Designing Young Workers”, in Jack Demaine, editor, Sociology of Education Today, UK...

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