Etymology From Middle English hinde, from Old English hindan (“at the rear, from behind”), Proto-Germanic *hinder (“behind, beyond”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱem-ta- (“down, below, with, far, along, against”), from *ḱóm (“beside, near, by, with”). Cognate with Gothic 𐌷𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐌽𐌰 (hindana, “from beyond”), Old Norse hindr (“obstacle”), Old Norse handan (“from that side, beyond”), Old High German hintana (“behind”), German hinter (“behind, beyond”), Old English hinder (“behind, back, in the farthest part, down”), Latin contra (“in return, against”). More at hinder, contrary.
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Located at the rear (most often said of animals' body parts).
Fareweel, my rhyme-compoſing billie! / Your native ſoil was right ill-willie; / But may ye flouriſh like a lily, / Now bonilie! / I'll toaſt ye in my hindmoſt gillie, / Tho' owre the Sea!1786 July 31, Robert Burns, “On a Scotch Bard Gone to the West Indies”, in Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire: Printed by John Wilson, →OCLC; reprinted Kilmarnock: James McKie, March 1867, →OCLC, page 184:
When it had advanced from the wood, it hopped much after the fashion of a kangaroo, using its hind feet and tail to propel it, and when it stood erect, it sat upon its tail.1918 September–November, Edgar Rice Burroughs, “The Land That Time Forgot”, in The Blue Book Magazine, Chicago, Ill.: Story-press Corp., →OCLC; republished as chapter V, in Hugo Gernsback, editor, Amazing Stories, (please specify |part=I to III), New York, N.Y.: Experimenter Publishing, 1927, →OCLC:
Etymology From Middle English hind, hinde, hynde, from Old English hind, Proto-West Germanic *hindu, from Proto-Germanic *hindō, *hindiz, from a formation on Proto-Indo-European *ḱem- (“hornless”). Cognate with Dutch hinde, German Hinde, Danish hind.
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A doe (female deer), especially a red deer at least two years old.
Nature binds all creatures to love their young ones; an hen to preserve her brood will run upon a lion, an hind will fight with a bull, a sow with a bear, a silly sheep with a fox.1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition III, section 1, member 3:
The ſpring diſplaying her elegant taſte, the proud walk of the gold-feathered pheaſant, the light tread of the ſmall-hoofed hind, and the dancing of the ſtar-trained peacock, infuſed joy into the ſoul of the ſpectator of the aſtoniſhing works of the Creator.1769, Firishta, translated by Alexander Dow, Tales translated from the Persian of Inatulla of Delhi, volume I, Dublin: P. and W. Wilson et al., page v:
Etymology From Middle English hynd, hine, from Old English hī(ġ)na, genitive plural of hīġa (“servant, family member”), in the phrase hīna fæder ‘paterfamilias’. The -d is a later addition (compare sound). Compare Old Frisian hinde (“servant”).
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Archaic A servant, especially an agricultural labourer.
Attilius Regulus […] writ vnto the common-wealth, that a hynde, or plough-boy whom he had left alone to over-ſee and husband his land (which in all was but ſeaven acres of ground) was run away from his charge[…].1603, Michel de Montaigne, “Of the Parcimony of Our Forefathers”, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book I, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC, page 167:
The farmers ſervants who have families, and engage by the year, are called hinds, and receive 10 bolls oats, 2 bolls barley, and 1 boll peas, which two laſt articles are called hummel corn, […]1792, Robert Bowmaker, “Number LI. Parish of Dunse, (County of Berwick.)”, in John Sinclair, editor, The Statistical Account of Scotland. Drawn Up from the Communications of the Ministers of the Different Parishes, volume IV, Edinburgh: Printed and sold by William Creech [et al.], →OCLC, page 386:
2 more examples
The peaceful tenour of Nina's life was interrupted one morning by the mysterious looks and whisperings of her maids and hinds.1827, Maria Elizabeth Budden, Nina, An Icelandic Tale, page 41:
that my brother can sit at leisure in a seat and learn something and I must work like a hind, who am your son as well as he!1931, Pearl S. Buck, The Good Earth: