Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Servile
1.
Of or pertaining to a servant or slave; befitting a servant or a slave; proceeding from dependence; hence, meanly submissive; slavish; mean; cringing; fawning;
as,
servile
flattery; servile
fear; servile
obedience.She must bend the
servile
knee. Thomson.
Fearing dying pays death
servile
breath. Shakespeare
2.
Held in subjection; dependent; enslaved.
Even fortune rules no more, O
servile
land! Pope.
3.
(Gram.)
(a)
Not belonging to the original root;
as, a
. servile
letter(b)
Not itself sounded, but serving to lengthen the preceeding vowel, as e in tune.
Serv′ile
,Noun.
(Gram.)
An element which forms no part of the original root; – opposed to
radical
. Webster 1828 Edition
Servile
SERV'ILE
,Adj.
1. Such as pertains to a servant or slave; slavish; mean; such as proceeds from dependence; as servile fear; servile obedience.
2. Held in subjection; dependent.
Ev'n fortune rules no more a servile land. Pope.
3. Cringing; fawning; meanly submissive; as servile flattery.
She must bend the servile knee. Thomson.