Footman

Footman

A footman (plural "-men") is a male servant, notably as domestic staff.

Word history

The name derives from the attendants who ran beside or behind the carriages of aristocrats, many of whom were chosen for their physical attributes.

Originally the term, also called running footman, applied to a non-mounted soldier, or foot soldier (infantryman). Later, just as demobilized officers frequently kept on a good batman as private servant, the word got applied to a household servant, who usually serves—standing—at meals while the master and guests remain seated. The roughly synonymous term lackey may have a similar etymology.

ervants

Male servants were more highly paid than female servants, and footmen were something of a luxury and therefore status symbol even among the servant-employing classes. They performed a less essential role than the cook, maid or even butler, and were part only of the grandest households. Since a footman was for show as much as for use, a tall footman was more highly prized than a small one, and good looks, including well-turned legs, which were shown off by the traditional footman's dress of stockings worn below knee breeches, an advantage. Footmen were expected to be unmarried and tended to be relatively young; they might, however, progress to other posts, notably that of butler. One 19th century footman, William Tayler, kept a diary which has been published. He was, in fact, married; but kept his marriage secret from his employers and visited his family only on his days off.

Once a commonly employed servant in great houses, footmen are much rarer today, as few households can afford large retinues of servants and retainers.

The "first footman" is the highest ranking and serves as deputy butler; he acts as butler in the butler's absence.

In a larger household, various footmen may be assigned specific duties (for which there may be a traditional sequence), such as the silver specialist, but usually the footmen perform a range of duties which include serving meals, opening and closing doors, carrying heavy items, or moving furniture for the housemaids to clean behind. The footmen may also double as valets, especially for visiting guests.

ources and references

*1911
* [http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=footman&searchmode=none EtymologyOnLine]


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Footman — Foot man, n.; pl. {Footmen}. 1. A soldier who marches and fights on foot; a foot soldier. [1913 Webster] 2. A man in waiting; a male servant whose duties are to attend the door, the carriage, the table, etc. [1913 Webster] 3. Formerly, a servant… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • footman — (n.) c.1300, foot soldier; late 14c., one who goes on foot; as a personal attendant, originally one who ran before or alongside his master s carriage, announcing its arrival (and keeping it from tipping over). The modern, non jogging servant… …   Etymology dictionary

  • footman — ► NOUN ▪ a liveried servant whose duties include admitting visitors and waiting at table …   English terms dictionary

  • footman — [foot′mən] n. pl. footmen [foot′mən] [orig., a man who ran on foot beside his master s horse or carriage] 1. a male servant who assists the butler in a large household 2. Archaic a foot soldier; infantryman …   English World dictionary

  • footman — UK [ˈfʊtmən] / US noun [countable] Word forms footman : singular footman plural footmen UK [ˈfʊtmən] / US a male servant, especially in the past, who wore a uniform and opened doors for people …   English dictionary

  • footman — [[t]f ʊtmən[/t]] footmen N COUNT A footman is a male servant who typically does jobs such as opening doors or serving food, and who often wears a special uniform …   English dictionary

  • footman — noun (plural footmen) 1》 a liveried servant whose duties include admitting visitors and waiting at table. 2》 historical a soldier in the infantry. 3》 archaic a trivet to hang on the bars of a grate. 4》 used in names of small moths of a subdued… …   English new terms dictionary

  • footman — A male servant in the household. A person on foot; a pedestrian. A person riding on a bicycle is not a footman or pedestrian, whether he is riding on the sidewalk or elsewhere. Mercer v Corbin, 117 Ind 450, 20 NE 132 …   Ballentine's law dictionary

  • Footman (furniture) — The footman is a British term for a metal stand, usually of polished steel or brass, and either oblong or oval in shape, for keeping plates and dishes hot before a dining room fire. A footman was useful prior to the early 20th century, before hot …   Wikipedia

  • footman moth — ▪ insect       any of a group of insects in the tiger moth family, Arctiidae (order Lepidoptera), for which the common name footman is probably derived from the stiff, elongate appearance of the adult moths, which usually align their narrow wings …   Universalium

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