English Reference
Idiom idiom

merry men


A group of assistants, subordinates, or lackeys

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

The boss arrived with his merry men to fix the problem.

CONTEXTUAL

The politician walked into the room surrounded by his merry men, who were ready to handle any difficult questions.

COMPLEX

The CEO entered the boardroom flanked by his merry men, a loyal group of subordinates eager to implement his controversial new strategy without question.


An allusion to the band of outlaws associated with the legend of Robin Hood. No earlier historical origin is recorded.


Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    dead men's shoes

    A position or property that is only attainable by someone else upon the current holder's death.

  2. 02

    go on one's merry way

    To depart.

  3. 03

    God's gift to men

    Someone irresistible to men: someone whom all men find attractive; (often) someone ironically described as such.

  4. 04

    man among men

    A man who is accepted on the same terms, and as having the same worth, as other men in society.

  5. 05

    merry Andrew

    A person who clowns publicly; a buffoon; an entertainer's assistant.

  6. 06

    merry dance

    A useless waste of time resulting from a deception.

  7. 07

    play merry havoc with

    Synonym of play the devil with.

  8. 08

    play merry hell with

    Synonym of play the devil with.

Last updated August 10, 2026