servant

[ˈsɜːrvənt]

servant Definition

  • 1a person who is employed to do household or personal duties such as cleaning and cooking
  • 2a person who performs duties for others, especially a government or organization

Using servant: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "servant" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

  • Example

    The servant cleaned the house every day.

  • Example

    She worked as a servant for a wealthy family.

  • Example

    The government is a servant of the people.

  • Example

    The company's customer service department is dedicated to serving its clients.

servant Synonyms and Antonyms

Idioms Using servant

  • be at someone's servant

    to be completely under someone's control or authority

    Example

    He felt like he was at his boss's servant, always having to do what he was told.

  • old-fashioned servant

    a person who is completely devoted to their employer and willing to do anything for them, often used in a negative way to criticize someone for being subservient

    Example

    She acted like an old-fashioned servant, always bowing and scraping to her boss.

  • to try to please two people or groups who have conflicting interests

    Example

    He was trying to serve two masters, his boss and his clients, and it was causing him a lot of stress.

Phrases with servant

  • a person who works for the government, especially in a job that involves dealing with the public

    Example

    As a public servant, he was committed to serving his community.

  • civil servant

    a member of the permanent professional staff of a government department or agency

    Example

    He worked as a civil servant for over 30 years.

  • a leader who prioritizes the needs of their team and empowers them to achieve their goals

    Example

    The CEO was known for being a servant leader, always putting the needs of his employees first.

Origins of servant

from Old French 'servant', present participle of 'servir', meaning 'to serve'

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Summary: servant in Brief

A 'servant' [ˈsɜːrvənt] is a person who is employed to do household or personal duties such as cleaning and cooking, or who performs duties for others, especially a government or organization. Examples include 'The servant cleaned the house every day.' and 'The government is a servant of the people.' Phrases like 'public servant' and 'civil servant' denote government officials, while 'servant leader' refers to a leadership style that prioritizes the needs of the team.

How do native speakers use this expression?