Servile

Servile
Servile Serv"ile, a. [L. servile, fr. servus a servant or slave: cf. F. servile. See {Serve}.] 1. Of or pertaining to a servant or slave; befitting a servant or a slave; proceeding from dependence; hence, meanly submissive; slavish; mean; cringing; fawning; as, servile flattery; servile fear; servile obedience. [1913 Webster]

She must bend the servile knee. --Thomson. [1913 Webster]

Fearing dying pays death servile breath. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

2. Held in subjection; dependent; enslaved. [1913 Webster]

Even fortune rules no more, O servile land! --Pope. [1913 Webster]

3. (Gram.) (a) Not belonging to the original root; as, a servile letter. (b) Not itself sounded, but serving to lengthen the preceeding vowel, as e in tune. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • servile — [ sɛrvil ] adj. • mil. XIVe; lat. servilis 1 ♦ Didact. Propre aux esclaves et aux serfs, à leur état. Condition, travail servile. Théol. Œuvres serviles (opposé à libérales) : travaux manuels. 2 ♦ Fig. (plus cour.) Qui a un caractère de… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • servile — Servile. adj. de tout genre. Qui appartient à l estat, à la fonction d un valet. Employ servile. homme de condition servile. On dit fig. Une ame, un esprit servile, pour dire, Une ame basse, un esprit qui a les sentimens, les manieres d agir d un …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • servile — late 14c., from L. servilis of a slave, servile, from servus slave (see SERVE (Cf. serve)). Earliest sense was legal, servile work being forbidden on the Sabbath; sense of cringing, fawning first recorded c.1600 …   Etymology dictionary

  • servile — [sʉr′vəl, sʉr′vīl΄] adj. [ME < L servilis < servus, slave: see SERF] 1. of a slave or slaves 2. like that of slaves or servants [servile employment] 3. like or characteristic of a slave; humbly yielding or submissive; cringing; abject 4.… …   English World dictionary

  • Servile — Serv ile, n. (Gram.) An element which forms no part of the original root; opposed to {radical}. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • servile — I adjective abiectus, abject, compliant, deferential, downtrodden, fawning, groveling, harnessed, humble, humilis, ingratiating, low, mean, meek, menial, obedient, obeisant, obsequious, passive, prostrate, respectful, servilis, slavish, subject,… …   Law dictionary

  • servile — agg. [dal lat. servilis, der. di servus servo ]. 1. [di servo, proprio dei servi] ▶◀ schiavile. ◀▶ padronale. 2. a. (estens., spreg.) [di azione, comportamento, ecc., che asseconda la volontà altrui, spec. dei potenti, per viltà, interesse e… …   Enciclopedia Italiana

  • servile — *subservient, menial, slavish, obsequious Analogous words: *mean, abject, ignoble: fawning, cringing, truckling, cowering (see FAWN) Antonyms: authoritative …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • servile — [adj] grovelling, subservient abject, base, beggarly, bootlicking, craven, cringing, despicable, eating crow*, eating humble pie*, fawning, humble, ignoble, low, mean, obedient, obeisant, obsequious, passive, slavish, submissive, sycophantic,… …   New thesaurus

  • servile — ► ADJECTIVE 1) excessively willing to serve or please others. 2) of or characteristic of a slave or slaves. DERIVATIVES servilely adverb servility noun. ORIGIN Latin servilis, from servus slave …   English terms dictionary

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