Meaning

(archaic) A soldier who marches and fights on foot; a foot soldier..

Definitions by Sense

1. (archaic) A soldier who marches and fights on foot; a foot soldier.
2. A man in waiting; a male servant whose duties are to attend the door, the carriage, the table, etc.
3. (historical) A servant who runs in front of his master's carriage.
4. A metallic stand with four feet, for keeping anything warm before a fire.
5. A moth of the family Arctiidae (or subfamily Arctiinae); -- so called from its livery-like colors.
6. A bar that connects the treadle of a spinning wheel to the wheel.

Example Sentences

[…] on October 29, 1888, the Russian imperial train was derailed at Borki by defective track, and twenty-one persons were killed. Although these did not include the Emperor Alexander III, who escaped with a bruising, a footman serving coffee to him at the critical moment, and his dog, which was lying on the floor beside him, were both killed on the spot.

And no use for anyone to tell Charles that this was because the Family was in mourning for Mr Granville Darracott […]: Charles might only have been second footman at Darracott Place for a couple of months when that disaster occurred, but no one could gammon him into thinking that my lord cared a spangle for his heir.

Reading their accounts, you can't help feeling they got a more thrilling frisson from sharing a pot of home-made stew without a footman than they took in any of their convoluted couplings.

When he travelled by coach the vehicle was accompanied by his liveried footmen running alongside to ensure its smooth passage (footmen would not be indoor servants until a century later).

Word Forms

• footmen

Synonyms for footman

Related Words

When Should You Use Footman?

Use footman when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

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