See Also: servant(dictionary)
servant(dictionary)
Servant Air(tourism)
civil servant(dictionary)
public servant(dictionary)
Servant Air code(tourism)
Servant Air flights(tourism)

servant (iou)



servant noun & verb. ME.
[Old French (mod. servante) use as noun of pres. pple of servir SERVE verb1: see -ANT1.]
A. noun.
A personal or domestic attendant; a person employed in a house to perform various household duties according to the orders and requirements of his or her employer. Freq. with specifying word. ME.
domestic servant, household servant, etc.
M. Meyer We had..servants: a cook,..kitchenmaid and chauffeur.
a. gen. A person who has undertaken to perform various duties for and to carry out the orders of an individual or corporate employer, usu. in return for wages or a salary. ME.
R. Church A servant of the Midland Railway, he settled in London. fig.: Daily News The Empire was the best servant that mankind had ever had.
b. An armed retainer (freq. in servant of arms). Also, an officer of a household with a specified area of responsibility. ME-M16.
c. A member of a company of actors (esp. in the 16th and 17th cents.) enjoying the patronage of a specified person. Now Hist. exc. in Her Majesty's servants, His Majesty's servants below. M16.
d. A State official; a person professionally committed to serving the interests of the State, the monarch, etc. Chiefly with specifying word or phr. L16.
transf.
a. A person owing service to a feudal overlord, a vassal. ME-E16.
b. A devoted follower of God, a god, etc. ME.
c. A lover, esp. of a woman; a devoted admirer. LME-M18.
A person in a state of servitude; spec. a slave. obsolete exc. in biblical translations & US History. ME.
Phrases: civil servant: see CIVIL adjective. Her Majesty's servants, His Majesty's servants joc. the theatrical profession. PUBLIC servant. servant of servants a person subjected to the most degrading servitude or slavery. servant's hall: see HALL noun. your humble servant: see HUMBLE adjective1. your obedient servant: see your obedient s.v. OBEDIENT adjective 1. your obliged servant: see OBLIGE verb 7. your servant arch.: a formula (freq. iron.) expr. (a) resigned acceptance of another's opinion, statement, etc.; (b) a greeting or farewell.
B. verb trans.
Put in subjection to. rare (Shakes.). Only in E17.
Foll. by it: behave as a servant. rare. Only in M17.
servantdom noun (rare) the world of servants; servants collectively: L19.
servantless adjective M17.
servantry noun (rare) servants collectively M19.
servantship noun the state or condition of being a servant L16.