henchman

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Bailey
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henchman

Postby Bailey » Mon Nov 06, 2006 9:18 am

hench·man (hnchmn)
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. Obsolete A page to a prince or other person of high rank.



[Middle English hengsman, henshman, servant to a person of rank : hengest, horse (from Old English) + man, man; see man.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.


ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words AntonymsNoun 1. henchman - someone who assists in a plot
collaborator, partner in crime, confederate
accessary, accessory - someone who helps another person commit a crime
mark subdud Bailey

oh and by the way Gailr...[sic]

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gailr
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Re: henchman

Postby gailr » Mon Nov 06, 2006 12:09 pm

mark subdud Bailey

oh and by the way Gailr...[sic]
:?:
Not sure I'm catching your joke, Bailey. I'm nobody's henchperson; I prefer minions of my own. :)

Perry
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Postby Perry » Mon Nov 06, 2006 12:27 pm

4. Obsolete A page to a prince or other person of high rank.
So a Sultan or Caliph might remark, "hand me that crescent hench"?
"Time is nature's way of keeping everything from happening all at once. Lately it hasn't been working."
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Bailey
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Postby Bailey » Mon Nov 06, 2006 5:34 pm

4. Obsolete A page to a prince or other person of high rank.
So a Sultan or Caliph might remark, "hand me that crescent hench"?
And I thought it was "hand me that crescent hence"?
mark not-willing-to-give-up-yet Bailey

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skinem
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Postby skinem » Tue Nov 07, 2006 3:49 pm

After the Batman tv show, I'm surprised the definition doesn't include the word "inept".
Zow!

Bailey
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Postby Bailey » Tue Nov 07, 2006 4:32 pm

yes, it does appear that henchmen on Movie comedies are pretty keystone coppish, but I assure you real henches are quite ept.

mark not-as-ept Bailey

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skinem
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Postby skinem » Tue Nov 07, 2006 5:00 pm

It's a word to me that also has an entirely negative connotation. I don't think of the Lone Ranger and his loyal henchman, Tonto...

Bailey
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Postby Bailey » Tue Nov 07, 2006 6:36 pm

and how odd that Tonto means stupid....

mark not-henching-anymore Bailey

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Palewriter
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Postby Palewriter » Tue Nov 07, 2006 7:02 pm

It's a word to me that also has an entirely negative connotation. I don't think of the Lone Ranger and his loyal henchman, Tonto...
Certainly does to me, too. I mean: "Saddam and his henchmen" sounds much more reasonable than "Saddam and his Merrie Band". On the other hand, "Mother Theresa and her henchmen"...I don't think so.

-- PW
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Bailey
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Postby Bailey » Tue Nov 07, 2006 7:25 pm

on the whole I think that if you are a good guy [and who doesn't see themselves thus?] your best abettor/friend/helper is your sidekick not any kind of hench. And of course you'd only need one if you are a good guy. But a bad guy does have henchmen a'plenty

mark I-just-liked-the-word Bailey

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