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Butler vs Footman - What's the difference?

butler | footman |

As nouns the difference between butler and footman

is that butler is a manservant having charge of wines and liquors while footman is a soldier who marches and fights on foot; a foot soldier.

As a verb butler

is to buttle, to dispense wines or liquors; to take the place of a butler.

As a proper noun Butler

is {{surname|A=An English and Irish occupational surname for someone who was a butler or wine servant|from=Middle English}.

butler

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A manservant having charge of wines and liquors.
  • The chief male servant of a household who has charge of other employees, receives guests, directs the serving of meals, and performs various personal services.
  • * 1929 , Baldwyn Dyke Acland, Filibuster , Chapter 2
  • *:“One marble hall, with staircase complete, one butler' and three to one flunkey, gloves to another, and there was the fourth poor blighter looking like an orphan at a Mothers' Meeting. …"
  • A valet, a male personal attendant.
  • Derived terms

    * buttle (backformation)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To buttle, to dispense wines or liquors; to take the place of a butler.
  • References

    footman

    English

    Noun

    (footmen)
  • (label) A soldier who marches and fights on foot; a foot soldier.
  • A man in waiting; a male servant whose duties are to attend the door, the carriage, the table, etc.
  • *{{quote-book, year=1959, author=(Georgette Heyer), title=(The Unknown Ajax), chapter=1
  • , passage=And no use for anyone to tell Charles that this was because the Family was in mourning for Mr Granville Darracott […]: Charles might only have been second footman at Darracott Place for a couple of months when that disaster occurred, but no one could gammon him into thinking that my lord cared a spangle for his heir.}}
  • (label) A servant who runs in front of his master's carriage.
  • A metallic stand with four feet, for keeping anything warm before a fire.
  • A moth of the family ; -- so called from its livery-like colors.
  • Synonyms

    * (historical) runner, running footman * (moth) (footman moth)

    References

    * * * *