retainer

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: re=tain=er

CIDE DICTIONARY

retainer, n. 

•  One who, or that which, retains.  [1913 Webster]
•  One who is retained or kept in service; an attendant; an adherent; a hanger-on.  [1913 Webster]
•  Hence, a servant, not a domestic, but occasionally attending and wearing his master's livery.  Cowell.  [1913 Webster]
•  The act of a client by which he engages a lawyer or counselor to manage his cause.  Bouvier. Blackstone.  [1913 Webster]
•  The act of keeping dependents, or the state of being in dependence.  Bacon.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

retainer, n.
1 a person or thing that retains.
2 Law a fee for retaining a barrister etc.
3 a hist. a dependant or follower of a person of rank. b joc. an old and faithful friend or servant ( esp. old retainer).
4 Brit. a reduced rent paid to retain accommodation during a period of non-occupancy.

THESAURUS

retainer

account, adherent, allowance, appendage, assessment, bill, blackmail, blood money, dangler, dependent, emolument, fee, follower, footing, hanger-on, heeler, henchman, hush money, initiation fee, man, mileage, reckoning, retaining fee, satellite, scot, servant, shadow, stipend, tagtail, tribute, ward heeler

ROGET THESAURUS

retainer

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.