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servilemore about servile

servile

 

  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Servile  \Serv"ile\,  n.  (Gram.) 
  An  element  which  forms  no  part  of  the  original  root;  -- 
  opposed  to  {radical}. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  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. 
 
  She  must  bend  the  servile  knee.  --Thomson. 
 
  Fearing  dying  pays  death  servile  breath.  --Shak. 
 
  2.  Held  in  subjection;  dependent;  enslaved. 
 
  Even  fortune  rules  no  more  O  servile  land!  --Pope. 
 
  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. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  servile 
  adj  1:  pertaining  to  or  involving  slaves;  "the  servile  wars  of 
  Sicily" 
  2:  submissive  or  fawning  in  attitude  or  behavior;  "spoke  in  a 
  servile  tone";  "the  incurably  servile  housekeeper"; 
  "servile  tasks  such  as  floor  scrubbing  and  barn  work" 
  [ant:  {unservile}] 
  3:  involving  slaves;  "Brown's  attempt  at  servile  insurrection" 
  [syn:  {servile(a)}]




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