# merry men

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/merry-men
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A group of assistants, subordinates, or lackeys

## Examples

- The boss arrived with his merry men to fix the problem.
- The politician walked into the room surrounded by his merry men, who were ready to handle any difficult questions.
- The CEO entered the boardroom flanked by his merry men, a loyal group of subordinates eager to implement his controversial new strategy without question.

## Origin

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

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.