sandman
UK[ˈsændmæn]US[ˈsændmæn]
n
a fictional character who is said to make children sleepy by sprinkling sand in their eyes.
n
a personification of sleepiness or fatigue.
Morpheme Breakdown
sand
man
sand
fine, loose grains of rock
man
a human being, person
Etymology
the word "sandman" is a transparent english compound, formed from the old english elements "sand" and "mann." its origin lies in northern european folklore, where it personified the cause of sleepiness, particularly in children. the literal imagery of a figure sprinkling sand into the eyes to induce sleep evolved from earlier folk beliefs about the physical sensations of tiredness. this concrete, folkloric personification has persisted into modern usage, often appearing in children's stories and popular culture as a benign symbol of sleep.
Analysis
Structure: sand + man
sand (old english, meaning 'fine, loose grains of rock'); man (old english, meaning 'a human being, person')
Examples
the mother told her child that the sandman would come if he closed his eyes.
i feel like the sandman visited me last night; i slept so deeply.
the story featured a friendly sandman who delivered dreams along with sleep.