noun
sandman
SAND-man
noun
1
A folklore character who sprinkles magic sand in children's eyes to bring sleep and dreams.
"Time for bed — the sandman is on his way."
"She told her little brother the sandman would visit if he closed his eyes."
How to Use Sandman
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe bedtime-story figure who makes children fall asleep.
Common pairings
the sandman is coming
visit from the sandman
Word Forms
sandmen plural
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Etymology
Built from "sand" plus "man"; the sleep-bringing character likely comes into English from the German Sandmann, popularised by an 1816 E.T.A. Hoffmann story.