Meaning of handlanger | Babel Free

Definitions

1. A low-ranking artillery soldier in the Austro-Hungarian Army.
   historical
2. An unskilled assistant to an artisan.
   South-Africa
3. An aide, an assistant.
   South-Africa, figuratively
4. Alternative letter-case form of Handlanger.
   alt-of

Equivalents

Examples

“[…] building himself brick by brick, with his wife as his only handlanger.”

“[E]very political leader has a handlanger. Like⟳ a toddler with a security blanket, the political handlanger is a necessary sop and sponge for all the tension that goes with the job. And there is nothing either disreputable or degrading about the role. Politics can be spiteful and demanding; the handlanger is the trusted confidant, the one person whom the leader can sound⟳ out, seek⟳ counsel from and trust⟳.”

“The time for talk⟳ truly is over now. The ANC will have⟳ to do the necessary, find⟳ its backbone and rein in [Jacob] Zuma, his cronies and their handlangers to avert an economic crisis happening on its watch⟳.”

“Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, by His Majeſty's Command, preſented to the Houſe, Copy⟳ of a Convention between the King of Great Britain and the States General, on the one Part; and the Empreſs Queen of Hungary and Bohemia on the other— […] Artillery. […] 12 Gunners, or Handlangers. […] 2 Drummers, at the Pay⟳ of Handlangers. […] 4 Aſſiſtants, at the Pay⟳ of Handlangers.”

“The Handlanger soldier was not a gunner or a bombardier, since he merely acted as labour on gun-sites […]”

“After the defeat⟳ of 1809, the four artillery regiments were kept in existence, but the Handlanger-Corps was reduced to a cadre.”

“The artillerymen concentrated on directing, loading and firing the guns, the remaining simpler functions being performed by the Handlanger. The No. 1 gunner inserted the charge and shot into the muzzle, No. 2 (a Handlanger) rammed it home and cleared the barrel with the sponge after firing. The chief gunner was No. 3, the Vormeister (gun commander) who was often a Bombardier, as were many Korporals. […] [H]e would also direct⟳ No. 5; the Handlanger holding the traversing spar and the Handlanger moving the gun.”

CEFR level