bondsman

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: bonds=man

CIDE DICTIONARY

bondsman, n. [Bond, a. or n. + man.].

•  A slave; a villain; a serf; a bondman.  [1913 Webster]

  "Carnal, greedy people, without such a precept, would have no mercy upon their poor bondsmen."  [1913 Webster]
•  A surety; one who is bound, or who gives security, for another.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

bondsman, n. (pl. -men)
1 a slave.
2 a person in thrall to another.

Etymology

var. of bondman (f. archaic bond in serfdom or slavery) as though f. bond's genitive of BOND(1)

DEVIL DICTIONARY

bondsman

n. A fool who, having property of his own, undertakes to become responsible for that entrusted to another to a third.
Philippe of Orleans wishing to appoint one of his favorites, a dissolute nobleman, to a high office, asked him what security he would be able to give. "I need no bondsmen," he replied, "for I can give you my word of honor." "And pray what may be the value of that?" inquired the amused Regent. "Monsieur, it is worth its weight in gold."

THESAURUS

bondsman

bailsman, bondmaid, bondman, bondslave, bondswoman, captive, chattel, chattel slave, churl, concubine, debt slave, galley slave, godfather, godparent, guarantee, guarantor, guaranty, helot, homager, insurer, liege, liege man, liege subject, mainpernor, mortgagor, odalisque, peon, serf, servant, slave, sponsor, subject, surety, theow, thrall, underwriter, vassal, villein, warrantor

ROGET THESAURUS

bondsman

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.