henchman
noun/ˈhɛnt͡ʃ.mən/
Etymology Inherited from Middle English henxman (“page, attendant”), from Old English *henġestmann, *hengstmann (“groom”, literally “horseman”), from henġest (“stallion, horse, steed, gelding”) + mann (“man”). Akin to archaic German Hengstmann (“groom”) and Icelandic hestamaður (“horseman, groom”).
1
A loyal and trusted follower or subordinate.
2
A person who supports a political figure chiefly out of selfish interests.
- The glib sophistries of the special pleader and the verdant gullibility of the public; the ridiculous, now happily fast disappearing partisan bias of the voter and the venal instincts of the political henchman; the lack of proper moral stamina in much of our public press, and the tardiness of practical public appreciation where journals are true to the people's interests the fear of the vengeance;1906, W. G. Joerns, “The Railroad Hold-up”, in Watson's Magazine, volume 5, page 397:
- It is madness to commence war against the audacious despots under any leader like Lafayette, the traitor and venal henchman of despotism, against whom the cries of the patriots murdered on July 17 call to Heaven.1916, The History of Nations - Volume 10, page 165:
4 more examples
- the great task confronting humankind today in effecting government that is worth its powder and shot is not regularity of attendance at the polls so much as in the intelligent analysis of the true leader from the henchman seeking selfish profit from the filling of an office.1935, William Dudley Pelley, Nations-in-law: an Unconventional Analysis Cleaning the Barnacles from the Ship of State:
- In appreciation for his service of railroading Frank, the power-brokering Watson sent his venal henchman Dorsey to the U.S. Congress for two terms .1998, Jay Robert Nash, Terrorism in the 20th Century, page 78:
- The practice of doubling in this production further emphasizes the ascendancy of corporeal decay and violence in the tetralogy, for, in addition to Cade, Oliver Cotton also appears as the seductive cuckold-maker Suffolk and, in the final of the three installments of The Plantagenets, as Richard of Gloucester's venal and Machiavellian henchman, the Duke of Buckingham .2005, Christian Riegel, Response to Death: The Literary Work of Mourning, page 53:
- The battle to be the absolute worst Trump henchman can feel so closely fought. But in the end, it’s always JD Vance, isn’t it?2026 April 17, Marina Hyde, “Is the pope Catholic? JD Vance thinks he has an answer”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
3
An assistant member of a criminal gang.
- Johnny Genaro, chief of staff to Al Capone, was “put on the spot” in a crowded street in Chicago on Saturday night.1931 March 24, “AL CAPONE'S HENCHMAN MURDERED”, in Tuesday Express:
- Most of the carpet joints were run by the mobsters and local henchmen associated with the Mayfield Road Gang, but Peter Schmidt's Playtorium and Glenn Rendezvous were also included.2014, Paul A. Tenkotte, James C. Claypool, The Encyclopedia of Northern Kentucky, page 385:
4
Obsolete A page to a prince or other person of high rank.
- Henchmen had placed, as was their habit, each warrior's gear and trappings above his pile of skins.1961, Norma Lorre Goodrich, “Beowulf”, in The Medieval Myths, New York: The New American Library, page 33:
- Derived terms
- hench, henchboy, henchmanship