| 释义 |
yeoman|ˈjəʊmən|
Pl. yeomen |ˈjəʊmɛn|. Forms: α. 4–5 ȝoman, ȝhoman, (4 ȝhuman, ȝouman), 4–7 yoman, 5 ȝoman(n)e, ȝomon, yomon, (yhoman), ȝuman, 6–7 yoeman. β. 4–6 ȝeman, (4 ȝheman), 5–7 yeman, (5 ȝemman, yemon, 6 ȝeaman, Sc. ȝieman, 8 ye'man). γ. 4–5 ȝiman, ȝyman, (4 ȝymman, 5 ȝimman, ȝymanne). δ. 5– yeoman, (7–8 Sc. zeoman).
[ME. (14th cent.) ȝoman, ȝuman, ȝeman, ȝiman, prob. reduced forms of ȝong-, ȝung-, ȝeng-, ȝingman: see youngman, which is itself used as a designation of an attendant or servant (cf. sense 1 below), while a 12th cent. yongerman is given in Pseudo-Cnut de Foresta §2 as a synonym of læssþeᵹenes ‘mediocres homines’ (cf. sense 4), who were intermediate between the þeᵹenes ‘liberales homines’ and the tunmen ‘villani’ (cf. also OE. ᵹingra vassal, follower of a prince, etc.).
The mm found in some forms (ȝemman, ȝimman) may be a survival of the ngm of yongman. Cf. MSw., Da. jomfru, Icel. jumfrú (after LG. jumfer), and Du. juffrouw beside jonkvrouw young lady.
The pronunciation |ˈjiːmən| is evidenced as late as the time of Swift (see quot. 1706 in 4 β and cf. 1687 in 4 δ).
If this word is ultimately identical with youngman, the derivation has possibly a remarkable parallel in s.w. dial. yeomath, yeemath, yemmath, youmath, yummath = aftermath, which is app. for *young math = late mowing.]
I.
1. a. A servant or attendant in a royal or noble household, usually of a superior grade, ranking between a sergeant (sergeant n. 7) and a groom (groom n.1 4) or between a squire and a page.
α13..K. Alis. 835 (Laud MS.), To ȝoman page & joglers. 1377Langl. P. Pl. B. iii. 213 (MS. R.) Emperoures..han ȝoumen [C. iv. 271 ȝemen, v.rr. ȝomen, ȝimmen, ȝemmen, ȝonge men] to ȝernen and to ride. a1400Morte Arth. 2628 He [sc. Arthur] made me ȝomane at Ȝole, and gafe me gret gyftes, And c. pounde, and a horse, and harnayse fulle ryche. 14..in Monum. Francisc. (Rolls) 583 Commaunde ȝe that ȝoure gentilmen yomen and other dayly bere and were there robis in ȝoure presence. c1420Chron. Vilod. 4558 Knyȝt, squiere, ȝomon & page. 1449Rolls of Parlt. V. 157/2 Yomen of the moste honourable Houshold of the Kyng. c1489Caxton Sonnes of Aymon iv. 123 Came there a yoman that sayd to the duchesse..the meete is redy. c1520Skelton Magnyf. 2542 To day hote, to morowe outragyous colde; To day a yoman, to morowe made of page. 1593Lanc. Wills (Chetham Soc.) 155, I gyve unto everye one of my yomen suche as are my howseholde servants over and besyds theire waigs xxs a peece.
β1345–8in Househ. Ord. (1790) 9 The Kinges archers, vinteners, yemen of offices in the Kinges howse. 1375Barbour Bruce v. 235 Quhill I liff, and may haf mycht To lede a ȝheman or a swane. c1470Henry Wallace ii. 388 A bauld squier, with him gud ȝemen twa. 1470–85Malory Arthur xxi. iii. 845 The kyng callyd vpon hys knyghtes squyers and yemen. 1584Whetstone Mirr. Mag., Cities 15 b, Were this a lawe in England, I feare mee..we shuld haue more Gentlemen bondmen, then Yemen trustie seruantes.
δa1483Liber Niger in Househ. Ord. (1790) 19 Our sovereyn lordes household is now discharged..of the Court of Marshalsy, and all his clerkes and yeomen. 1561Old Cheque-Bk. Chapel Royal (Camden) 1 Mr. Paternoster was sworne gent' the 24th of Marche, and Jones, Gospeller, and Thos. Rawlins, Yeoman. 1571Golding Calvin on Ps. vii. 14 Saule..had many yeomen at hand, that wold gladly have employed their labour too destroye David. 1607Dekker & Webster Westw. Hoe iii. D 4, Come Sergeant Ambush, come yeoman Clutch, yons the Tauerne, the Gentleman will come out presently. 1713Swift On Himself 35 The waiters stand in ranks; the yeomen cry, Make room; as if a duke were passing by. 1814Scott Ld. of Isles i. xxix, Where squire and yeoman, page and groom, Plied their loud revelry. 1864Tennyson Aylmer's F. 497 The folly..became in other fields A mockery to the yeomen over ale, And laughter to their lords.
b. An attendant or assistant to an official, etc.
13..E.E. Allit. P. A. 535 Gos to my vyne, ȝemen ȝonge, & wyrkes & dos þat at ȝe moun. 1363Rolls of Parlt. II. 278/2 Gentz de Mestere, d'Artifice & d'Office, appellez Yomen. c1386Chaucer Prol. 101 A Yeman [v.rr. ȝeman, ȝ oman] hadde he, and seruantz namo. 1552in Feuillerat Revels Edw. VI (1914) 124 Lyuery for his yemen and other baser officers. 1568Grafton Chron. II. 84 Robyn Hood had at his rule and commaundement an hundreth tall yomen. 1597Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, ii. i. 4 Hostesse. Mr. Fang, haue you entred the Action? Fang. It is enter'd. Hostesse. Wher's your Yeoman? Is it a lusty yeoman? 1627J. Taylor (Water P.) Armado C 8, Nimble tongu'd Pettifoggers, greedy Serieants, hungry Yeomen, deuoureing Catchpoles. 1766Entick London IV. 47 Eighteen serjeants at mace, and every serjeant hath his yeoman. 1861Times 26 July, The senior Sheriff's yeoman read Her Majesty's writ, authorizing the Sheriffs to proceed to the election of ‘a fit and discreet citizen’ to serve in Parliament. 1897J. D. Walker in Rec. Lincoln's Inn I. Pref. 7 A Bencher in 1442 was entitled as of right to have a yeoman (valettus) boarded in the Inn at a charge of 14d. per week.
c. yeoman's service (also yeoman service): good, efficient, or useful service, such as is rendered by a faithful servant of good standing.
[a1500Gest of Robyn Hode lxxx, It were greate shame sayd Robyn A knyght a lone to ryde, Without squyer yeman or page,..I shall the lene lytyll Johan my man,..In a yemans stede he may the stande, Yf thou grete nede haue.] 1602Shakes. Ham. v. ii. 36, I once did hold it..A basenesse to write faire;..but Sir now, It did me Yeomans seruice. 1613Hoby Counter-snarle 75 You may doe the Pope yeoman seruice indeede. 1807Scott 11 Aug. in Fam. Lett. (1894) I. iii. 77 This [law] has done me yeoman's service in the hour of necessity. 1857Hughes Tom Brown i, These stalwart sons of the Browns have done yeomen's work. 1858De Quincey Language Wks. 1890 X. 247 The word ignore..has now assumed [a general meaning], with little offence to good taste, and with yeoman service to the intellect. 1884Illustr. Lond. News 29 Nov. 84 The..Society has done yeoman's service during the ten years of its existence.
2. a. With of (or for) followed by a word indicating the particular department or function, in the titles of various officials, esp. of a royal or noble household, as yeoman of the bottles, yeoman of the buttery, yeoman of the cellar, yeoman of the chamber, yeoman of the crown, yeoman of the ewery, yeoman of the horse(s, yeoman for the household, yeoman of the larder, yeoman for the mouth (mouth n. 2 d), yeoman of the revels, yeoman of the robes, yeoman of the stable, yeoman of the stirrup, yeoman of the tents, yeoman of the wardrobe; so yeoman of the channel (an official of the Corporation of London: see channel n.1 3 a). Hence in humorous allusion, as yeoman of the collar, a prisoner with an iron band round his neck (collar n. 5); yeoman of the cord, yeoman of the halter, a hangman, or hangman's assistant.
1455in Househ. Ord. (1790) 18 Richard Clerk, Yoman of the *Armurie.
Ibid., Henri Est, Yoman of the *Beddes.
Ibid. 19 William Wytnall, Yoman for the *botilles. 1591Murther John Ld. Bourgh A 4 b, One Iohn Powell yeoman of the bottels.
1531in Butt Ford's Archery (1887) 141 Yoeman of the Kinges *bowes.
1473Rolls of Parlt. VI. 97/2 Richard Forster, Yoman of the *Botry of oure Houshold.
1513Bk. Keruynge in Babees Bk. 270 Yoman of the *seller and ewery.
1345–8in Househ. Ord. (1790) 4 Yeomen of the Kinges *chamber. 1390Gower Conf. III. 62 Thre yomen of his chambre. 1438E.E. Wills (1882) 110 The yomen of my lordys chambre.
1708J. Chamberlayne St. Gt. Brit. ii. iii. xliii. (ed. 22) 688 Yeoman of the *Channel.
1647Haward Crown Rev. 33 Yeoman of the Stirrup... Yeoman of the Male... Yeoman of the *close Carte.
1530Hickscorner (Manly) 239 Frewyll. Syr, laye you beneth, or on hye on the soller? Imag. Nay, ywys, amonge the thyckest of yemen of the *coller.
c1640J. Day Peregr. Schol. xvii. (1881) 72 A kinsman of myne that is grome of the ladder and yeoman of the *corde.
1450Rolls of Parlt. V. 192/2 Yoman of the *Coroune, and Ussher of oure Chambre. 1498in Leadam Sel. Cases Crt. Requests (Selden Soc.) 5 William Frost oon of your Yomons of the Crowne.
1450Rolls of Parlt. V. 194/1 Watkyn Bedell, Yoman of oure *Ewre.
1455in Househ. Ord. (1790) 20 John Canne, Yomen for the *halle.
1802J. T. Smith Bk. for Rainy Day (1861) 169 A most diabolical-looking little wretch, denominated ‘the Yeoman of the *Halter’, Jack Ketch's head man.
1455in Househ. Ord. (1790) 23, 1 Yoman of *Horse. 1530Palsgr. 291/1 Yeman of the horse, palfrenier. 1586T. B. La Primaud. Fr. Acad. i. 320 The yomen of his horses.
1585Higins Junius' Nomencl. 510/2 Promus,..a butler: a yeoman of the *larder.
1455in Househ. Ord. (1790) 20 William Pratte, Yoman for the King's *mouth. 1531Elyot Gov. iii. v, Yoman for the mouthe with the kynge. a1700B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, Yeoman of the Mouth, an Officer belonging to his Majestie's Pantry.
1345–8in Househ. Ord. (1790) 4 Yeomen of the *offices.
1552–3in Feuillerat Revels Edw. VI (1914) 111 Iohn howlte yeman of the *Revelles.
1455in Househ. Ord. (1790) 17 John Slytherst, Yoman of the *Robes. 1552Huloet, Yoman or master of the robes, vestiarius.
1728Chambers Cycl. s.v. Acatery, A Yeoman of the *Salt-Stores.
1650in Archaeologia V. 435 The Saucery House, conteyning foure little roomes used by the yeoman of the *sauces.
1455in Househ. Ord. (1790) 21 Roger Sutton, Yoman for the *sething place.
Ibid. 23, 11 Yeoman and Gromes of the *Stable. 1473Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot. I. 55 The Hensmen and ȝomen of the stablis for the King and the Quene. a1578Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 325 The king callit on ane ȝemen of the stabill and desyrit ane of his abullȝementis.
1526,1692Yeoman of the *stirrup [see stirrup n. 1 d].
1455in Househ. Ord. (1790) 18 Yoman of the *Stoole.
1552–3in Feuillerat Revels Edw. VI (1914) 111 Yeman of the *Tentes. 1679–88Moneys Secr. Serv. Chas. II & Jas. II (Camden) 135 To Thomas Howard, yeoman of the tents and toyles, for his charge in removing the toyles and waggons.
1523–34Fitzherb. Husb. §151 The yomen of the *wardropes of noble men. 1601Shakes. Twel. N. ii. v. 45 The Lady of the Strachy, married the yeoman of the wardrob.
b. Yeoman of the Guard: a member of the body-guard of the sovereign of England (first appointed at the accession of Henry VII, and originally archers). Also Extraordinary Yeoman: see beefeater 2.
1485in Hennell Hist. Yeom. Gd. (1904) 23 Oure humble and feithful subgiet William Browne yoman of oure garde. 1509–10Act 1 Hen. VIII, c. 14 A Yoman of the Crowne or of the Kynges garde. 1519–20Rec. St. Mary at Hill (1904) 307 Ress' for the Buryall of a yoman of the Gard þat dyed at þe Swan..ij s. 1552in Hennell Hist. Yeom. Gd. (1904) 292 The Garde, 1552... Ordinarie Yeomen in number cc... Extraordinarie Yeomen in number cc & vii. 1573Ibid. 293 Raulf Colborne an extraordinarye yeoman. 1613J. Taylor (Water P.) Watermen's Suit Wks. 1630 i. 175 Gentlemen of the priuy Chamber, or Yeomen of the Gard at least. 1647Haward Crown Rev. 19 Captaine of the Guard..Ordinary Yeomen of the Guard, 200..50 Extraordinary. 1675in Verney Mem. (1907) II. 305 A Ld Chamberlain was never before turned out for striking a yeoman of the guard. 1711Steele Spect. No. 109 ⁋2 The vast jetting Coat and small Bonnet, which was the Habit in Harry the Seventh's Time, is kept on in the Yeomen of the Guard. 1745E. Montagu Corr. (1906) I. 202, I can eat more buttered roll in a morning than a great girl at a boarding school, and more beef at dinner than a yeoman of the Guards. 1904Hennell Hist. Yeom. Gd. 62 In the Yeomen of the Guard the yeomen are all non-commissioned officers, sergeants or sergeant-majors.
c. In the British and U.S. navies, an inferior officer who has charge of the stores in a particular department: with of or possessive, as yeoman of the powder-room, yeoman of the sheets (now abolished), y. of (the) signals, yeoman of the store-room, boatswain's y., engineer's y., paymaster's y., ship's y. Also ellipt.
[c1400Beryn 2997 Why goon the ȝemen to bote, Ankirs to hale?] 1669Sturmy Mariner's Mag. v. xii. 46 A Gunner..must be careful in making Choice of a sober honest Man, for the Yeoman of the Powder. 1698in MSS. Ho. Lords (N.S.) III. (1905) 346 The gunner and the yeoman ordered him to assist him. 1702in Lond. Gaz. No. 3815/2 Yeomen of the Sheets,..Yeomen of the Powder Room. 1816in Ord. Council Naval Service (1866) I. 300 We further submit to your Royal Highness to be pleased to sanction the abolition of the following obsolete or unnecessary ratings:—Yeoman of the Powder Room. ― of the Sheets. 1833Ibid. 511 Yeoman of the Store Rooms. 1850H. Melville White Jacket I. xxx. 194 The ship's yeoman's store-room. 1891C. Roberts Adrift Amer. 234 The boatswain's yeoman. 1898Kipling Fleet in Being 82 The Yeoman of Signals came to the captain's cabin at the regulation pace... ‘Signal from the flagship, sir.’ 1899F. T. Bullen Way Navy 28 The chief petty officer, who is entitled chief yeoman of the signals. 1918T. S. Eliot Let. 13 Nov. in Waste Land Drafts (1971) p. xv, I was sent for by the Navy Intelligence, who said..that..they would make me a Chief Yeoman and raise me to a commission in a few months. 1978H. Wouk War & Remembrance i 6 My chief yeoman's got the logs and other records all lined up.
3. Used appositively in the titles of various attendants and officials, as yeoman bedel, † yeoman brever, yeoman cook, yeoman farrier († yeoman ferrer), † yeoman fewterer, † yeoman furner, † yeoman garneter, yeoman gunner, † yeoman herbergeour (harbinger), yeoman porter, yeoman pricker (pricker 3), yeoman purveyor, yeoman usher, yeoman waiter, yeoman warder, etc.: see also these words.
1641*Yeoman-bedels [see beadle 3 a]. 1853‘C. Bede’ Verdant Green i. vii, The Vice-Chancellor, with his Esquire and Yeoman-bedels.
1553in Archaeologia XII. 359 The celler. Servauntes..John Thorowgood and Jeffrey Perrens, *yeomen brevers.
1450Rolls of Parlt. V. 195/1 To Thomas Cateby, *Yoman Cooke for oure mouth.
1454Acts Privy Council (1837) VI. 213 Robert Pilchard *yoman ferrour. 1455[see ferrer 3]. 1647[see farrier n. 3]. 1599*Yeoman pheuterer [see fewterer]. 1629Massinger Picture v. i, If you will bee An honest yeoman pheuterer, feed vs first, And walke vs after. 1650B. Discolliminium 52 The rest of the Subjects [shall be] Yeomen-futerers and Gold-finders.
1553in Archaeologia XII. 357 The Countinge howse. Servants..Rauffe Englishe, *yeoman furnator..Robert Style, yeoman garnator.
1455in Househ. Ord. (1790) 19 William Peye, *Yoman Fourner.
1454Acts Privy Council (1837) VI. 213 Thomas Wente, *yoman garnetter. 1553in Archaeologia XII. 357 Robarte Style, yeoman garnator. 1647Haward Crown Rev. 33 Three Yeomen granators: Fee a peice per diem 9 d.
1450Rolls of Parlt. V. 198/1 The office of *Yoman Gonner of oure Citee and Castell of Westchestre.
Ibid. 195/1 Oure servaunt John Ripon, one of oure *Yomen Herbergeours. 1642Docq. Lett. Pat. at Oxf. (1837) 341 His Mate gent' & yeomen Harbingers.
1455in Househ. Ord. (1790) 21, 1 *Yoman Herde.
Ibid. 19 John Swyllyngton, *Yoman Messenger.
Ibid., William Brynklowe, *Yoman Paymenbaker.
1470–85Malory Arthur vi. ix. 196 He fond a *yoman porter kepyng ther many keyes. 1560in J. Scott Berwick-upon-Tweed (1888) 449 The yeoman porters at any of the gates of this towne. 1708J. Chamberlayne St. Gt. Brit. ii. iii. (ed. 22) 628 Yeoman Porter for Oil and Candle for the Gate. 1766Entick London IV. 347 The yeoman porter goes to the governor's house for the keys.
1455,1601*Yeoman powder-beater [see powder n.1 5 b].
1586,1891*Yeoman pricker [see pricker 3]. c1767G. White Selborne, To Pennant vi, I saw myself one of the yeomen-prickers single out a stag from the herd. 1820Scott Monast. xvii, Were you to put in for it, I would warrant you were made one of the Abbot's yeomen-prickers.
1454Acts Privy Council (1837) VI. 213 Richard Walgrave and John Glover *yomen purveours. 1647Haward Crown Rev. 33 Foure Yeomen Purveiours: Fee a peice per diem 9 d.
1455in Househ. Ord. (1790) 18 Stephen Coote, *Yoman Skynner.
Ibid., John Marchall, *Yoman Surgeon.
a1400–50Bk. Curtasye 519 in Babees Bk. 316 *Ȝomon vssher be-fore þe dore, In vttur chambur lies on þe flore. 1614Nottingham Rec. IV. 319 To the Yeoman Vsher's grooms and pages..xl s. 1649Milton Eikon. xxiv. 192 The Yeomen Ushers of Devotion. 1708J. Chamberlayne St. Gt. Brit. ii. iii. (ed. 22) 555 Mr. Ric. Pearson, Yeoman Usher.
1523–34Fitzherb. Husb. §152 There was..as many good housholdes kept, and as many *yomenne wayters therin as be nowe. 1526Househ. Ord. (1790) 152 The yeoman ushers and yeoman wayters for that day.
1573in Hennell Hist. Yeom. Gd. (1904) 293 The *yeomen warders of our Tower of London. 1947Tower of London (Min. of Works) 13/2 The interior is shown to the public..on application to the Yeoman-Warder on duty. 1979J. Gardner Nostradamus Traitor i. 2 ‘You are a Beefeater, yes?’ ‘Yeoman Warder, Ma'am. Beefeater's a kind of nickname.’
II.
4. a. A man holding a small landed estate; a freeholder under the rank of a gentleman; hence vaguely, a commoner or countryman of respectable standing, esp. one who cultivates his own land.
α1411Rolls of Parlt. III. 650/2 All the Knyghtes and Esquiers and Yomen that had ledynge of men. c1425Wyntoun Cron. viii. xi. 1825 Ȝhomen and gentil men alsua. c1449Pecock Repr. iii. xiv. 371 Whether he be knyȝt, squyer, gentilman, ȝoman, or louȝer. c1460Fortescue Abs. & Lim. Mon. xvii. (1885) 151 A c.s. off ffee or rente, wich is a feyre lyuynge ffor a yoman. 1473J. Warkworth Chron. (Camden) 1 And othere of gentylmen and yomenne he made knyghtes and squyres, as thei hade desserved. 1549Latimer 1st Serm. bef. Edw. VI (Arb.) 40 My father was a Yoman, and had no landes of his owne, onlye he had a farme of iii. or iiii. pound by yere at the vttermost... He had walke for a hundred shepe, and my mother mylked xxx. kyne. 1642in Rushw. Hist. Coll. (1692) iii. I. 680 Though many of the Chief Gentry of those Counties were for paying Obedience to his Majestie's Commission of Array, yet the Free-holders and Yoemen being generally of the other side,..they were crush'd. 1648Hunting of Fox 39 The sufferings of the Yoemen, Farmers, and other poor Countrymen.
β1455Cal. Anc. Rec. Dublin (1889) 288 Arlaton Hussher, merchant..and Harry White, yeman. 1486Bk. St. Albans d iv, Ther is a Goshawke, and that hauke is for a yeman. 1500–20Dunbar Poems xxxix. 25 Honest ȝemen in every toun War wont to weir baith reid and broun. 1542–3Act 34 & 35 Hen. VIII, c. 26 §26 [70] Twoo substanciall Gentlemen or Yeomen to be chief Constables of the Hundred wherin they inhabyte. 1567Harman Caveat (1869) 22 The honorable wyl abhore them, The worshipfull wyll reiecte them, The yemen wyll sharpely tawnte them, The Husband men vtterly defye them, The laboryng men bluntly chyde them. a1578Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 283 Money wther gentillmen and ȝemenis. 1596Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 36 Ȝiemen and housbandmen thair sal ȝe sie gang weil arrayed. 1706Swift Baucis & Phil. 19 A good old honest ye'man, Call'd in the neighbourhood Philemon.
γ1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) II. 171 Þerfore hit is þat a ȝeman [v.r. ȝymman; L. vernaculus] arraieþ hym as a squyer, a squyer as a knyȝt, a kniȝt as a duke and a duke as a kyng.
δa1577Sir T. Smith Commw. Eng. i. xxiii. (1584) 30, I call him a yeoman whom our Lawes doe call Legalem hominem,..which is a freeman borne English, and may dispend of his owne free lande in yerely reuenue to the summe of xl. s. sterling. Ibid. 32 Yeoman: which worde now signifieth among vs, a man well at ease and hauing honestlie to liue, and yet not a gentleman. 1591Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, ii. iv. 86 His Grandfather was Lyonel Duke of Clarence,..Spring Crestlesse Yeomen from so deepe a Root? 1640–1Kirkcudbr. War-Comm. Min. Bk. (1855) 4 To be peyit be the tennants and yeomanes. 1647Clarendon Hist. Reb. vi. §4 The other party..persuading the substantial yeomen and freeholders that at least two parts of their estates would..be taken from them. 1687in Third Coll. Poems (1689) 21 The Admiral may now turn common Seaman, Or Fer―s like; from Court to Country Yeoman. 1716Gay Trivia iii. 285, I knew a yeoman, who..To the great city drove, from Devon's plain His num'rous lowing herd. 1812Shelley Devil's Walk xix, The wealthy yeoman, as he wanders His fertile fields among, And on his thriving cattle ponders. 1815Scott Guy M. Note B, An old and sturdy yeoman belonging to the Scottish side,..well known by his soubriquet of Fighting Charlie of Liddesdale. 1861Geo. Eliot Silas M. i. iii, The fall of prices had not yet come to carry the race of small squires and yeomen down that road to ruin.
transf. and fig.a1586Sidney Arcadia ii. iv. (1912) 167 The first might seeme the Lords, the second the Gentlemen, and the last the Yeomen of dogges. 1863Longfellow Wayside Inn, K. Olaf xx. iii, Turning to a Lapland yeoman. 1865Spectator 14 Jan. 32 Never..since yeoman Cain killed nomad Abel. 1879Froude Cæsar ii. 14 The grandsons of the yeomen who had held at bay Pyrrhus and Hannibal sold their farms and went away.
†b. Used as a term of disparagement. rare—1.
c1440Gesta Rom. lxix. 318 Thenne þe Emperour turnyd to his brothir, and saide, ‘Þou ȝoman, what soory wrecchidnesse is in þe?’
†c. Applied to the pawns at chess. Obs. rare.
1523–34Fitzherb. Husb. Prol., That boke [sc. of chess] is deuyded in vi. degrees,..the kynge, the quene, the byshops, the knightes, the iudges, and the yomenne.
5. a. A man of the standing or rank described in 4 serving as a (foot) soldier. Now Hist. or arch. exc. as in b.
1375Barbour Bruce xvi. 101 Schir Richard of Clare..Send wicht ȝhomen that veill couth schut To bikkir the reirward apon fut. a1400Sqr. lowe Degre 232 Thus in your warres shall you ryde, With syxe good yemen by your syde. a1577Sir T. Smith Commw. Eng. i. xxiii. (1589) 41 The gentlemen of Fraunce and the yeomen of England are renowned, because in battle of horsemen Fraunce was many times too good for vs, as we againe away for them on foote. And Gentlemen for the most part be men at armes and horsemen, and yeomen commonly on foote. 1599Shakes. Hen. V, iii. i. 25 And you good Yeomen, Whose Lyms were made in England; shew vs here The mettell of your Pasture. 1612Drayton Poly-olb. xi. 29 Our Armies in those times..Of our tall Yeomen were, and foot-men for the most. 1814Scott Ld. of Isles v. xxix, Two hundred yeomen on that morn The castle left, and none return.
b. spec. A member of the (Imperial) Yeomanry: see yeomanry 3.
1798in Ld. Auckland's Corr. (1862) III. 429 Two of the yeomen of Lord Ely's corps..were hanged.., being condemned by a Courtmartial. 1812Ann. Reg., Chron. 93 It being reported that a poor old woman had been killed by the carelessness of the yeomen, the crowd began to follow the cavalry. 1828Scott Jrnl. 18 Mar. (1891) 558, I am one of the oldest, if not the very oldest Yeoman in Scotland, and have seen the rise, progress, and now the fall of this very constitutional part of the national force. 1912L. Tracy Mirabel's Isl. iv. (1915) 65 ‘Were you in a Highland regiment?’ ‘No. I was a mere worm, an Imperial Yeoman.’
III. 6. attrib. and Comb. a. attrib., as yeoman class, yeoman rank, yeoman throng; appositive (see also 3), as yeoman farmer, yeoman gentleman, yeoman man, yeoman proprietor, yeoman servant, yeoman soldier, † yeoman sprat, yeoman volunteer; † yeoman ale, † yeoman bread (also yeoman's bread), names for second qualities of ale or bread; yeoman service (see 1 c).
1532Cartular. Abb. de Rievalle (Surtees) 355 Of *yoman aile of the great fatt, v gallons.
1430Charters Selby Abbey, York (B.M. Add. Ch. 45849), 8 panes secundarios vocatos *yhomanbreed. 1552Huloet, Bread called Yomens bread, domesticus panis. 1620Venner Via Recta i. 18 Secundarium is that part of the meale, whereof yeoman-bread is made, which some call second bread.
1876M. E. Braddon J. Haggard's Dau. i, The new-comer's costume was that of the *yeoman class. 1878Stubbs Const. Hist. §803 After the economical changes which marked the early years of the fifteenth century, the yeoman class was strengthened by the addition of the body of the tenant farmers.
1821Cobbett Rur. Rides (1885) I. 17 Those only who rent..are, properly speaking, farmers. Those who till their own land are yeomen; and, when I was a boy, it was the common practice to call the former farmers and the latter *yeomen-farmers.
1375Barbour Bruce xiii. 225 heading, How the *ȝhemen men and the pouer men maid of schetis the maner of baneris. 1481Acts Parl. Scot., Jas. III (1814) II. 139/2 For the slaying..of ony tratour..cummyn of gentill blude, thare salbe payit xx li And for a ȝeman man x li. a1578Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 98 Witht sindrie wther gentillmen and money ȝeamen men of commons. 1593Sc. Acts Jas. VI (1816) IV. 18/2 The panis and vnlawes of lawborrous..salbe of euery erll or lord Tua thowsand pund..and for euerie ȝeman man Ane hundreth markis.
1873Hamerton Intell. Life iii. iii. 83 A small *yeoman proprietor cultivates his own land.
1862Thornbury Turner I. 5 A family like Turner's that produced a small tradesman, a bank-clerk, and a solicitor, must have at least been of as good *yeoman rank as Shakspeare's.
1498in Somerset Med. Wills (1901) 375 To every of my servants y callid *yemen servants, 6s. 8d.
1880Hardy Trumpet-Major v, No impossible contingency with the *yeoman-soldier.
1622Massinger & Dekker Virg. Mart. ii. i, She tooke vs, tis true, from the gallowes, yet I hope she will not barre *yeomen sprats to haue their swinge.
1808Scott Marm. iii. xxvi, And on the tale the *yeoman-throng Had made a comment sage and long.
1808in C. W. Thompson Rec. Dorset Yeomanry (1894) 87 Report of the Dorset *Yeomen Volunteers.
b. Comb., as yeoman-like adj., yeoman-wise adv.
1674N. Fairfax Bulk & Selv. 90 They could neither speak with nor make one another, (if I may word it so much Yeoman-wise). 1682H. More in Glanvill's Sadducismus, Contin. Coll. 38 A proper Yeomen-like Man. 1828tr. Manzoni's Betrothed Lovers Pref. p. viii, His bold, and honest, and yeoman-like bearing.
Hence yeomaness = yeowoman; yeomanhood, the position or station of a yeoman.
1623J. Wodroephe Marrowe Fr. Tongue 211/2 *Yeamanesse, good wife, haue you no fresh egges? Ibid. 283/2 Valiant like the yeamenesses [orig. Paysantes] of Lombardie.
1889Saintsbury Ess. Engl. Lit. (1890) 6 They had apparently lost even the dignity of *yeomanhood. |