All 3 Uses of
servile
in
The Idiot
- "Dear me—is it possible?" observed the clerk, while his face assumed an expression of great deference and servility—if not of absolute alarm: "what, a son of that very Semen Rogojin—hereditary honourable citizen—who died a month or so ago and left two million and a half of roubles?"†
Chpt 1.1servility = submissiveness -- often an attitude of someone who is so submissive or eager to serve and please that they seem to lack self-respect
- The host kept his eyes fixed on Muishkin, with an expression of passionate servility.†
Chpt 2.2 *
- Consider!" said Lebedeff with almost servile amiability, smiling at the prince.†
Chpt 3.9
Definitions:
-
(1)
(servile) too eager to serve or obey others -- often in a way that seems overly submissive, weak, or lacking self-respect
or:
related to low-status tasks -
(2)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) meaning too rare to warrant focus:
You might want to remember this as sounding similar to servant. Both words come from the Latin word for slave (servus).