Yeoman

Yeoman, yō′man, n. in early English history, a common menial attendant, but after the fifteenth century, one of a class of small freeholders, forming the next grade below gentlemen: a man of small estate, any small farmer or countryman above the grade of labourer: an officer of the royal household: a member of the yeomanry cavalry: (Shak.) a journeyman, assistant: a gentleman in a royal or noble household, ranking between a sergeant and a groom.—adj. Yeo′manly, of yeoman's rank: humble and honest.—adv. staunchly, bravely.—n. Yeo′manry, the collective body of yeomen or smaller freeholders: a cavalry volunteer force in Great Britain, formed during the wars of the French Revolution, its organisation by counties, under the lords-lieutenant, raised and drilled locally, the men providing their own horses and uniform.—Yeomen of the guard, a veteran company of picked soldiers, employed in conjunction with the gentlemen-at-arms on grand occasions as the sovereign's bodyguard—constituted a corps in 1485 by Henry VII., and still wearing the costume of that period; Yeoman's service, powerful aid, such as came from the yeomen in the English armies of early times. [M. E. yoman, yemen, doubtless from an A.S. gáman, not found, but seen in Old Frisian gāman, villager—gā, a village (Ger. gau, district), man, man.]