Crossword clues for henchman
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Henchman \Hench"man\ (h[e^]nch"man), n.; pl. -men (-men). [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.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
mid-14c., hengestman, later henshman (mid-15c.) "high-ranking servant (usually of gentle birth), attendant upon a king, nobleman, etc.," originally "groom," probably from man (n.) + Old English hengest "horse, stallion, gelding," from Proto-Germanic *hangistas (cognates: Old Frisian hengst, Dutch hengest, German Hengst "stallion"), perhaps literally "best at springing," from PIE *kenku- (cognates: Greek kekiein "to gush forth;" Lithuanian sokti "to jump, dance;" Breton kazek "a mare," literally "that which belongs to a stallion").\n
\nPerhaps modeled on Old Norse compound hesta-maðr "horse-boy, groom." The word became obsolete in England but was retained in Scottish as "personal attendant of a Highland chief," in which sense Scott revived it in literary English from 1810. Sense of "obedient or unscrupulous follower" is first recorded 1839, probably based on a misunderstanding of the word as used by Scott.
Wiktionary
n. 1 A loyal and trusted follower or subordinate. 2 A person who supports a political figure chiefly out of selfish interests. 3 A member of a criminal gang. 4 (context obsolete English) A page to a prince or other person of high rank.
WordNet
n. someone who assists in a plot [syn: confederate, collaborator, partner in crime]
Wikipedia
Henchman referred originally to one who attended a horse for his employer, that is, a horse groom. Hence, like constable and marshal, also originally stable staff, henchman became the title of a subordinate official in a royal court or noble household. It is now used to generally describe any person with subordinate status derisively, while most often used specifically to a hired guard or minion of a villain or master criminal.
Usage examples of "henchman".
And the beauty of it is that Cassan insists that all of his closest henchmen wear them at all times, to keep magi from picking their brains, so now I can keep track of all of them without even needing my gramerhain.
Two rowdies - former henchmen of Butch Drongo - were still at their appointed posts.
He spoke to his false henchman, Foy, and his words were filled with sinister significance.
WIMBLEDON and his henchmen, Gleek and Harlton, had agreed that other faults would pass unnoticed until after delivery.
It was then I understood that these men were the henchmen of Preacher Nusret Hoja of Erzurum.
There was no way Hsiao and his henchmen were going to let them walk away free, not now.
In the center of the whole group were Obmi and his henchman Keak, well protected by tough humanoids and their powers, of course.
Wherever he went, Kesk liked to stride arrogantly, his head bare and sneering tanarukk face on display, his battle-axe in his hand, and several of his henchmen swaggering along behind him.
You are a child of a nation that has bowed beneath the indistinguishable tyrannies of czars, of Party apparatchiks, of elected kleptocrats and their Mafya henchmen.
Pig was on watch when it came over and admitted to his henchman Knoop that it showed a certain flair.
That is why I called in the services of Konk Zitz and paid him to keep his henchmen in Latuna.
Then Koy Dow and his Chinese henchmen had taken up the battle, that The Shadow might depart.
His hurling motion terminated with a sweep that brought him face to face with Koy Shan and his henchmen.
Since Lenger was to remain at large, an unsuspecting dupe, your henchmen could not spring the trap on Grell.
Marty Lunk and his henchmen were soon to learn the power of that black scourge that wiped out skulking fiends of crime!