henchman

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: hench=man

CIDE DICTIONARY

henchman, n. [OE. hencheman, henxman; prob. fr. OE. & AS. hengest horse + E. man, and meaning, a groom. AS. hengest is akin to D. & G. hengst stallion, OHG. hengist horse, gelding.].

 An attendant; a servant; a follower. Now chiefly used as a political cant term.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

henchman, n. (pl. -men)
1 a trusted supporter or attendant.
2 hist. a squire; a page of honour.
3 the principal attendant of a Highland chief.

Etymology

ME henxman, hengestman f. OE hengst male horse

THESAURUS

henchman

adherent, appendage, associate, attendant, bodyguard, buddy, buff, cavaliere servente, cohort, confidant, courtier, creature, crony, dangler, dependent, disciple, dummy, fan, figurehead, flunky, follower, following, gangster, gillie, goon, gunsel, hanger-on, hatchet man, heavy, heeler, homme de cour, hooligan, jackal, lackey, man, minion, myrmidon, parasite, partisan, public, puppet, pursuer, pursuivant, retainer, right-hand man, satellite, sectary, servant, shadow, sidekick, stooge, successor, supporter, sycophant, tagtail, tail, thug, torpedo, trainbearer, votary, ward heeler

ROGET THESAURUS

henchman

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.