errand boy
17
3.2
- noun
- /ˈɛrənd bɔɪ/
:
mensajero
- The errand boy rushed to the store to pick up supplies for the party.
Examples
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I became the errand boy for the disc jockeys.
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I'm just an errand boy.
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So I I became as first errand boy and then eventually his right hand man.
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I told her I was done being an errand boy.
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You are an errand boy.
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Take a good look at their errand boy.
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Which way is your errand boy supposed to go?
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I am an errand boy.
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Looks like Harry was the errand boy that day.
Blog text (24) -
From now on, I'd happily be his errand boy.
Synonyms
16
2.8
A hotel worker who carries guests' luggage and helps with small tasks for them
11
7.3
A young man who does cleaning, serving, and errands in a private home
6
2.3
A boy who delivers messages and does small jobs for a business
1
2.6
A young man who does simple office tasks like running errands and delivering messages
1
8.6
A man who helps someone by doing many different tasks
A young boy who runs small errands in a hotel or house
How Senior
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly derivable from the constituents: an 'errand' is a short trip to do a task and 'boy' is a young male, so 'errand boy' denotes a boy who runs errands. This straightforward noun‑noun composition and its cross‑linguistic parallels make the phrase immediately comprehensible to a B1 learner who knows both words, despite minor pragmatic nuances about employment or social status.
Etymology
The phrase errand boy comes from a time when shops and offices hired young boys to do small tasks. The boy would literally carry an errand, a quick job like a message or a delivery, so the phrase means a young person who does 'menial tasks' or 'small jobs'.