yeoman's service
- noun
- /ˈjoʊmənz ˈsɜrvɪs/
:
servicio leal
- The volunteers provided yeoman's service during the community cleanup, ensuring every corner was tidied up.
Examples
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Surprisingly, the C-130Bs were not shown in any of the photos since they did a yeoman's service in the war.
Blog text (27) -
Her yeoman's service at the animal shelter helped hundreds of abandoned pets find new homes.
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The teachers performed yeoman's service by preparing their students for the critical exams ahead.
Antonyms
How Helpful
Surface Forms
Morphology
yeoman's + service
The phrase is idiomatic and relies on a historical/cultural sense of 'yeoman' that a B1 learner is unlikely to know; knowing the literal constituents ('yeoman' + 'service') would suggest a possessive or literal service by a yeoman, not the abstract sense 'faithful, useful, reliable service'. The meaning cannot be transparently derived from the parts and requires background or exposure, so it is not predictable for typical learners.
Etymology
Yeoman's service comes from the old word yeoman, a hardworking, trusted farm worker or soldier who gave steady help to a household or leader. That's why saying someone did 'yeoman's service' means they did very reliable, useful work.