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flunky

   Also found in: Encyclopedia, 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."

flunky, flunkey [ˈflʌŋkɪ]
n pl flunkies, flunkeys
1. a servile or fawning person
2. a person who performs menial tasks
3. Usually derogatory a manservant in livery
[of unknown origin]
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.flunky - a male servant (especially a footman)
servant, retainer - a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)
2.flunky - a person of unquestioning obedience
follower - a person who accepts the leadership of another
pushover - someone who is easily taken advantage of
Translations
flunk(e)y
nLakai m; (= flatterer)Radfahrer(in) m(f) (inf)
flunky [ˈflʌŋkɪ] ntirapiedi m/f inv
flunky [ˈflʌŋkɪ] ntirapiedi m/f inv


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? Mentioned in ? References in periodicals archive
 
Chaika, a Putin flunky, further made it clear that no suspects would be extradited to England.
AB 1381 gives the mayor veto power over appointment of a superintendent, transfers most of the budget-making process to his handpicked flunky and places the mayor directly in control of a multitude of elementary and middle schools that feed into three low-performing high schools of his choosing.
Hansel and Gretel had to answer to some government flunky about littering in a national forest, and the EPA started to monitor the air pollution at the witch's oven.
 
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