yeoman — ODE · Shobdo

yeoman /ˈjəʊmən

▸ noun

(plural yeomen)

1 historical a man holding and cultivating a small landed estate; a freeholder.

▪ a person qualified for certain duties and rights, such as to serve on juries and vote for the knight of the shire, by virtue of possessing free land of an annual value of 40 shillings.

2 historical a servant in a royal or noble household, ranking between a sergeant and a groom or a squire and a page.

3 historical a member of the yeomanry force.

4 (also yeoman of signals) (in the Royal and other Commonwealth navies) a petty officer concerned with signalling.

▪ a petty officer in the US navy performing clerical duties on board ship.

– PHRASES

yeoman service /ˌjəʊmən ˈsəːvɪs

/
efficient or useful help in need:

the minister has performed yeoman service for Mulroney.

– DERIVATIVES

yeomanly /ˈjəʊmənli

/ adjective

– ORIGIN Middle English: probably from young + man.