1. A man of a (specified or indicated) country or district (COUNTRY 2, 3); a native or inhabitant. Often in comb., as north-countryman, etc.
c. 1305. Life St. Kenelm, 291, in E. E. P. (1862), 55. Þe contrai men þer biside … Ouertrowede wel whar hit lay.
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., I. 31. The contreemen coloured well ichone.
c. 1570. Thynne, Pride & Lowl. (1841), 15. The other sayth he is this countreyman.
1581. Mulcaster, Positions, xxxix. (1887), 210. Being borne a countryman of such a countrey.
1681. Trial S. Colledge, 67. Mr. Ser. Holl. What Countreyman are you, Sir? Mr. Zeal. Somersetshire.
1708. trans. Erasm. Life Colet, in Phenix, II. 19. The Sweating Sickness (a Disease which seiz’d no Countrymen but English).
1807. Southey, Espriella’s Lett., II. 57. When he knew what countryman I was, he made many inquiries respecting Salamanca.
1856. Emerson, Eng. Traits, iv. Wks. (Bohn), II. 29. Other countrymen look slight and undersized beside them.
transf. 1616. Surfl. & Markh., Country Farme, 396. The Bay-tree … a Countriman in euerie coast and quarter.
2. A man of one’s own country, a fellow-countryman; a compatriot; usually with possessive.
1425. Paston Lett., No. 5, I. 19. A contreman of myne in the seyd court, Maister John Urry.
1548. Ld. Somerset, Epist. Scots, 239. Rather brothers then enemies, rather Countreymenne then Conquerours.
1570–6. Lambarde, Peramb. Kent (1826), p. x. You my countrie men the Gentlemen of this Countie.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., IV. vii. 110. I am Welch you know, good Countriman.
1681. Evelyn, Diary (1827), IV. 256. A countrie man of ours.
1705. Hickeringill, Priest-cr., II. iii. 31. The Earl of Strafford was born my near Neighbour (as well as my Country-man) in Yorkshire.
1807. Crabbe, Par. Reg., III. 454. Christian and countryman was all with him.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 154. Simonides is a countryman of yours.
Mod. We are country-men.
3. One who lives in the country or rural parts and follows a rural occupation; a husbandman.
1577. B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., II. (1586), 105. Concerning Wooddes what needefullest are for our Countriemen to plant.
1608. (title) The Great Frost … A familiar talk between a Countryman and a Citizen.
1795. Southey, Joan of Arc, II. 25. Strangers, your fare is homely … But such it is as we poor countrymen Earn with our toil.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 616. Monmouth and his friends disguised themselves as countrymen.
1860. Ruskin, Mod. Paint., V. I. i. § 4. The words ‘countryman, rustic, clown, paysan, villager,’ still signify a rude and untaught person.
