myrmidon
See also: Myrmidon
English
Etymology
From Myrmidon, from Latin Myrmidones, from Ancient Greek Μυρμιδόνες (Murmidónes).
Pronunciation
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Noun
myrmidon (plural myrmidons)
- A soldier or a subordinate civil officer who executes orders of a superior without protest or pity (sometimes applied to bailiffs, constables, etc).
- Synonyms: see Thesaurus:loyal follower
- 1842, "Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" (a play by George Dibden Pitt based on an existing story) at Act III, Scene II:
- Tobias (to Jonas Fogg, manager of a madhouse): "I will die ere I submit to you or your vile myrmidons."
- 1912, Alexander Berkman, chapter 6, in Prison Memoirs of an Anarchist:
- My heart wells up in admiration of the man, as I think of his participation in the memorable struggle of Homestead. He fought the Pinkertons, the myrmidons of Capital.
- 1934, Rex Stout, Fer-de-Lance, 1992 Bantam edition, →ISBN, pages 177–178:
- […] headed for a revelation to the District Attorney that would probably result in my having the pleasure of meeting H. R. Corbett or some other flatfooted myrmidon […]