英语词汇flunky的起源、历史背景-英语词源词典

词汇	flunky
词源	flunky n. also flunkey, 1782, Scottish dialect, "footman, liveried servant," of uncertain origin, perhaps a diminutive variant of flanker (in reference to servants running alongside coaches; compare footman). Sense of "flatterer, toady" first recorded 1855. "Recent in literature, but prob. much older in colloquial speech" [Century Dictionary]. Entries linking to flunky footman n. c. 1300, fotman, "soldier who marches and fights on foot," from foot (n.) + man (n.). It also was used in Middle English with a general sense of "an attendant on foot" (late 14c.), and Middle English also had fot-knave "servant of low rank attending a knight or squire" (mid-14c.), fot-folwer "foot-servant" late 14c. fot-mayd (late 15c.) "maidservant, serving woman." Later it was used specifically of personal attendants to a person of rank who ran before or alongside his master's carriage, ostensibly to keep it from spilling and otherwise assist it on the road, but also to indicate the importance of the occupant. The non-jogging "man-in-waiting" sense is attested from c. 1700, though the running footmen still were in service mid-18c. Related: Footmanship. updated on December 17, 2014
随便看	regret regretful regrettable regroup regrow regrowth regular regularity regularize regularly regulate regulation regulator regulus regurgitate regurgitation rehab rehabilitate rehabilitation rehash rehear rehearsal rehearse reheat rehoboth

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flunky n.