beachkeeper meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

beachkeeper

noun

Etymology From beach + keeper.

One whose job is to control access to and maintain a beach.

Unable to go herself, she graciously gave us a note to her beachkeeper, who probably has nothing to do six days out of the week, for he was so happy to introduce us to his family and help us up and down the steep slopes that we thought we'd never get into the water.1966, The Road to Panama, page 151:
The closer you get to Queens, the less happy local beachkeepers are going to be to see you.1978, New York - Volume 11, page 154:

2 more examples

As a youth, I spent many summers volunteering as a “beachkeeper” to inform park visitors about “environmentally friendly beach behaviour,” working as a day camp leader, and enjoying recreational activities in Belcarra Regional Park.2016, Sarah Marie Wiebe, Everyday Exposure:
Long-term volunteers undergo training to become independent 'beachkeepers' – monitoring beaches all around the island.2018, Ray Bartlett, Paul Clammer, Lonely Planet Cruise Ports Caribbean, →ISBN:

noun

Etymology Blend of beach + peacekeeper.

Derogatory A soldier on a peacekeeping mission who spends a lot of time at the beach.

Soldiers from both peacekeeping missions were referred to by locals as “beachkeepers” because of the time they spent at the beachfront bars in Freetown.2013, Janie L. Leatherman, Sexual Violence and Armed Conflict, →ISBN, page 20:
The peacekeepers failed to convince both civilians and rebels of their authority in the country. UNAMSIL was referred to as “U-nasty” and peacekeepers were called “beachkeepers” because cohorts could often be found enjoying the country's beaches.2015, Megan H. MacKenzie, Female Soldiers in Sierra Leone, →ISBN:

1 more example

With hardly any other option than becoming a ‘beachkeeper, they emphasize the value of humanitarian assistance, travel and cultural exchange to become a competent soldier.2019, Eva van Roekel, “Inaction as only alternative. Contemporary Argentinian peacekeepers in search of respect”, in Program and abstracts 15th Biennial Conference of ERGOMAS To be held at Lisbon Portugal, page 105:

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.