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flunkey

   Also found in: Wikipedia 0.01 sec.
flun·ky also flun·key  (flngk)
n. pl. flun·kies also flun·keys
1. A person of slavish or unquestioning obedience; a lackey.
2. One who does menial or trivial work; a drudge.
3. A liveried manservant.

[Scots, perhaps from flanker, an attendant at one's flank.]

flunky·ism n.
Word History: The word flunky has come into Standard English from Scots, in which the word meant "liveried manservant, footman," coming at least by the 19th century to be a term of contempt. The word is first recorded and defined in a work about Scots published in 1782. The definition states that a flunky is "literally a sidesman or attendant at your flank," which gives support to the suggestion that flunky is a derivative and alteration of flanker, "one who stands at a person's flank."
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.flunkey - a male servant (especially a footman)
servant, retainer - a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)
2.flunkey - a person of unquestioning obedience
follower - a person who accepts the leadership of another
pushover - someone who is easily taken advantage of

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A flunkey handed him an uncut Times, which he proceeded to cut with a skill which betrayed familiarity with this delicate operation.
Indeed, it was such a thundering poor success that it raised wondering scowls all along the line, and a gorgeous flunkey at the tail end of it raised his whip; but I jumped in time and was under it when it fell; and under cover of the volley of coarse laughter which fol- lowed, I spoke up sharply and warned the king to take no notice.
"Can you imagine," Ferfitchkin interrupted hotly and conceitedly, like some insolent flunkey boasting of his master the General's decorations, "can you imagine that Zverkov will let us pay alone?
 
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