'Servile' definitions:
Definition of 'servile'
(from WordNet)
adjective
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, unsubmissive]
adjective
Relating to or involving slaves or appropriate for slaves or servants; "Brown's attempt at servile insurrection"; "the servile wars of Sicily"; "servile work"
Definition of 'Servile'
From: GCIDE
- 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. [1913 Webster]
- She must bend the servile knee. --Thomson. [1913 Webster]
- Fearing dying pays death servile breath. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- 2. Held in subjection; dependent; enslaved. [1913 Webster]
- Even fortune rules no more, O servile land! --Pope. [1913 Webster]
- 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. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Servile'
From: GCIDE
- Servile \Serv"ile\, n. (Gram.) An element which forms no part of the original root; -- opposed to radical. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'servile'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- abject,
- abused,
- accepting,
- acquiescent,
- agreeable,
- apple-polishing,
- ass-kissing,
- assenting,
- attendant,
- attending,
- base,
- bootlicking,
- browbeaten,
- brown-nosing,
- client,
- common,
- complaisant,
- compliable,
- compliant,
- complying,
- consenting,
- craven,
- cringing,
- crouching,
- deferential,
- demeaning,
- dependent,
- despicable,
- disadvantaged,
- downtrod,
- downtrodden,
- fawning,
- feudal,
- feudatory,
- flattering,
- ground down,
- groveling,
- helping,
- henpecked,
- humble,
- ignoble,
- in leading strings,
- in the shade,
- inferior,
- infra dig,
- ingratiating,
- junior,
- less,
- lesser,
- liege,
- low,
- lower,
- lowly,
- mean,
- mean-spirited,
- menial,
- ministering,
- minor,
- misused,
- modest,
- nondissenting,
- nonresistant,
- nonresisting,
- nonresistive,
- obedient,
- obeisant,
- obsequious,
- on bended knee,
- oppressed,
- ordered around,
- ordinary,
- overborne,
- passive,
- prone,
- prostrate,
- regimented,
- resigned,
- scurvy,
- second rank,
- second string,
- secondary,
- serving,
- servitorial,
- slavish,
- slimy,
- smarmy,
- sordid,
- sub,
- subaltern,
- subject,
- submissive,
- subordinate,
- subservient,
- supine,
- sycophantic,
- sycophantish,
- third rank,
- third string,
- toadish,
- toadying,
- toadyish,
- trampled,
- tributary,
- truckling,
- tyrannized,
- ugly,
- unassertive,
- uncomplaining,
- unctuous,
- underprivileged,
- unmanned,
- unresistant,
- unresisting,
- vassal,
- vile,
- vulgar,
- waiting,
- wheedling