groom

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

groom, n. [Cf. Scot. grome, groyme, grume, gome, guym, man, lover, OD. grom boy, youth; perh. the r is an insertion as in E. bridegroom, and the word is the same as AS. guma man. See Bridegroom.].

•  A boy or young man; a waiter; a servant; especially, a man or boy who has charge of horses, or the stable.  Spenser.  [1913 Webster]
•  One of several officers of the English royal household, chiefly in the lord chamberlain's department; as, the groom of the chamber; the groom of the stole.  [1913 Webster]
•  A man recently married, or about to be married; a bridegroom.  Dryden.  [1913 Webster]

Groom porter, formerly an officer in the English royal household, who attended to the furnishing of the king's lodgings and had certain privileges.

groom, v. i. 

 To tend or care for, or to curry or clean, as a, horse.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

groom, n. & v.
--n.
1 a person employed to take care of horses.
2 = BRIDEGROOM.
3 Brit. Mil. any of certain officers of the Royal Household.
--v.tr.
1 a curry or tend (a horse). b give a neat appearance to (a person etc.).
2 (of an ape or monkey etc.) clean and comb the fur (of its fellow) with the fingers.
3 prepare or train (a person) for a particular purpose or activity (was groomed for the top job).

Etymology

ME, orig. = boy: orig. unkn.

THESAURUS

groom

adapt, apprentice, bed, bed down, blushing bride, break, break in, breaker, breed, breeder, bride, bridegroom, bridle, brief, bring up, broncobuster, brush, brush up, buckaroo, cattleman, clean up, clear the decks, clear up, coach, condition, cow keeper, cowman, cultivate, curry, currycomb, dairy farmer, dairyman, develop, discipline, drench, dress, drill, equerry, exercise, farrier, feed, fetch up, fettle, fit, fix up, fodder, form, foster, gentle, get ready, grazier, handle, harness, hitch, honeymooner, horseshoer, hostler, house-train, housebreak, improve, lick into shape, litter, make ready, manage, manicure, milk, neaten, newlywed, nurse, nurture, plighted bride, plume, police, police up, practice, preen, prepare, prime, primp, put in trim, put in tune, put to school, raise, rancher, ranchero, ranchman, ready, rear, refresh, rehearse, rub down, saddle, send to school, shape, sheepman, smarten up, spruce, spruce up, stableboy, stableman, stock raiser, stockbreeder, stockkeeper, stockman, straighten up, take in hand, tame, tamer, tend, tidy, tidy up, titivate, train, trainer, trig up, trim, trim up, tutor, war bride, water, yoke

ROGET THESAURUS

groom

Servant

N servant, subject, liegeman, servant, retainer, follower, henchman, servitor, domestic, menial, help, lady help, employe, attache, official, retinue, suite, cortege, staff, court, attendant, squire, usher, page, donzel, footboy, train bearer, cup bearer, waiter, lapster, butler, livery servant, lackey, footman, flunky, flunkey, valet, valet de chambre, equerry, groom, jockey, hostler, ostler, tiger, orderly, messenger, cad, gillie, herdsman, swineherd, barkeeper, bartender, bell boy, boots, boy, counterjumper, khansamah, khansaman, khitmutgar, yardman, bailiff, castellan, seneschal, chamberlain, major-domo, groom of the chambers, secretary, under secretary, assistant secretary, clerk, subsidiary, agent, subaltern, underling, understrapper, man, maid, maidservant, handmaid, confidente, lady's maid, abigail, soubrette, amah, biddy, nurse, bonne, ayah, nursemaid, nursery maid, house maid, parlor maid, waiting maid, chamber maid, kitchen maid, scullery maid, femme de chambre, femme fille, camarista, chef de cuisine, cordon bleu, cook, scullion, Cinderella, potwalloper, maid of all work, servant of all work, laundress, bedmaker, journeyman, charwoman, bearer, chokra, gyp (Cambridge), hamal, scout (Oxford), serf, vassal, slave, negro, helot, bondsman, bondswoman, bondslave, ame damnee, odalisque, ryot, adscriptus gleboe, villian, villein, beadsman, bedesman, sizar, pensioner, pensionary, client, dependant, dependent, hanger on, satellite, parasite, led captain, protege, ward, hireling, mercenary, puppet, tool, creature, badge of slavery, bonds, in the train of, in one's pay, in one's employ, at one's call, in bonds.