camp follower
noun
a civilian not officially connected with a military unit, especially a prostitute, who follows or settles near an army camp.
a person who sympathizes with or espouses the aims of a group without belonging to it.
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Nearby words
camp david accords, camp fever, camp fire, camp fire boy, camp fire girl, camp follower, camp it up, camp lejeune, camp meeting, camp out, camp oven
Origin of camp follower
First recorded in 1800–10
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for camp follower
British Dictionary definitions for camp follower
camp follower
noun
any civilian, esp a prostitute, who unofficially provides services to military personnel
a nonmember who is sympathetic to a particular group, theory, etc
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Idioms and Phrases with camp follower
camp follower
A civilian who follows or settles near a military camp, especially a prostitute who does so. For example, The recruits were told not to associate with camp followers. [Early 1800s]
A person who sympathizes with a cause or group but does not join it. For example, She's only a camp follower so we can't count on her for a contribution.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.