Dogsbody

Pronunciation

• British IPA: /ˈdÉ’É¡z.bÉ’.dɪ/
• US IPA: /ˈdÉ‘É¡z.bÉ‘.di/, /ˈdɔɡz.bÉ‘.di/

Origin

dog's + body. 1818, British navy slang, originally derogatory reference to unappetizing pease pudding (compare dog's breakfast), as if it were made of mashed dog meat. In 20th century applied to low-ranked sailors, thence menial servants in wider usage.

Full definition of dogsbody

Noun

1. (British) A person who does menial work, a servant.
• That's just Baldrick, my dogsbody. — Blackadder.
• 1995, Paul Kussmaul, Training The Translator, John Benjamins Publishing Co, p. 146:Furthermore, there are still rather backward opinions in our society about the role of a translator. A translator is often regarded as a linguistic dogsbody.

Synonyms

• factotum
• gofer
• handyman
• jack of all trades
• odd job

Verb

1. To act as a dogsbody, to do menial work:
• 1989, Tim Parks, Family PlanningPerhaps because, having been brought up in all those different countries and languages, and then studying economics of all things for just a year, followed by four years dogsbodying for a haulage company, he had never got any serious reading done.