Sér'vant1, n.
n. [Fr. servant, a. & p. pr. of servir, to serve; Fr. servent, sirvent, It. & Pg. servante, Sp. sirviente, Lat. servus, p. pr. of servire.]
Sense 1. One who serves, or does service, voluntarily or involuntarily; a person who is employed by another for mental offices, or for other labor; and is subject to his command; a person who labors or exerts himself for the benefit of another, his master or employer; a subordinate helper.
I shall be glad to be your servant. Swift.
☞ In a legal sense, stewards, factors, bailiffs, and other agents, are servants for the time they are employed in such character, as they act in subordination to others. So any person may be legally the servant of another, in whose business, and under whose order, direction, and control, he is acting for the time being. Chitty.
Sense 2. One in a state of subjection.
Sense 3. A person of base condition or ignoble spirit.
I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth. Eccles. X. 7.
Servant of servants, one debased to the lowest condition of servitude. — Four humble servants, your obedient servant, phrases of civility, used more especially in closing a letter, and expressing the willingness of the speaker or writer to do service to the person addressed. “Our betters tell us they are our humble servants, but understand us to be their slaves.” Swift.