[Ads-l] "sellsword", mercenary
Barretts Mail
mail.barretts at GMAIL.COM
Wed Nov 21 23:28:03 UTC 2018
Not in the English OLD.
Wiktionary (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sellsword <https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sellsword>) has two definitions, going back to 1969 with citations:
• (usually fantasy) A mercenary.
• (hence figuratively, often derogatory) Someone who only works for money, in the manner of a mercenary.
Benjamin Barrett
Formerly of Seattle, WA
> On 21 Nov 2018, at 15:21, Dan Goncharoff <thegonch at GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>
> I just came across this word in the wild. I was reading a WSJ article from
> Tuesday about chess players changing allegiance:
>
> "Critics say the knights of American chess are nothing but sellswords."
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