roustabout
Unskilled manual worker
A roustabout is an unskilled laborer, particularly one who works on oil rigs or in circuses.
On drilling platforms, roustabouts handle the physically demanding grunt work—moving equipment, cleaning, and general maintenance.
In circus life, they set up and tear down tents and equipment.
The term suggests someone who does hard manual labor without specialized training, often moving from job to job.
He started as a roustabout before working his way up to driller.
Oil platform laborer
- drillerOne who bores holes
- derrickMovable boom apparatus
- rigEquipment arrangement or vehicle
- platformRaised flat structure
offshore · drilling · wellhead · pipeliner · mudman · crewman · petroleum · extraction
Tent erector at shows
- riggerOne who handles tackle
- stagehandBackstage theater worker
- roadieConcert equipment handler
- setupHow something is arranged
teardown · carnival · fairground · sideshow · traveling · itinerant · showman · carny
roughneck
Oil platform laborer
platform · offshore · drilling · wellhead · pipeliner · mudman · crewman · petroleum · extraction · wildcatter
canvasman
Tent erector at shows
setup · teardown · carnival · fairground · sideshow · traveling · itinerant · showman · carny · midway
wanderer
Rootless, roving person
drifter · nomad · hobo · migrant · wayfarer · rootless · unskilled · casual · dayworker · seasonal
deckhand
Ship's manual laborer
- wharfShip docking structure
- longshoremanHarbor freight worker
- stevedoreShip cargo handler
dockworker · handyman · grunt · unskilled · manual · hauling · loading · toil · sweat · muscle
- circuscircus, big top, clown, clowns, ringmaster
- carnivalparade, costume, float, ferris wheel, roller coaster
- laborerslaborers, day laborer, day labourer, day laborers, manual worker
- job slangcop, doc, medic, cabbie, barista
- oilfield workersroughneck, driller, rig worker, pumper, company man
- Outback Jobsdrover, stockman, jackaroo, ringer, musterer
roustaboutspecialist
Expert in one field
expert · professional · master craftsman · craftsman · technician
roustaboutexecutive
Senior organizational leader
white-collar worker · manager · boss · supervisor · professional
roustaboutcompany man
Employee devoted to employer
lifer · homesteader · fixture · homebody