camp follower

American  

noun

1. a civilian not officially connected with a military unit, especially a prostitute, who follows or settles near an army camp.

2. a person who sympathizes with or espouses the aims of a group without belonging to it.

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camp follower British  

noun

1. any civilian, esp a prostitute, who unofficially provides services to military personnel

2. a nonmember who is sympathetic to a particular group, theory, etc

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camp follower Idioms  

1. 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]

2. 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 .

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Etymology

Origin of camp follower

First recorded in 1800–10

Example Sentences

Richard Joseph Cardinal Gushing, the third Archbishop of Boston, was far from a clerical camp follower of the Kennedys.

From Time Magazine Archive

Afterward, a Massachusetts colonial and his camp follower were married, vraiment, in an 18th century ceremony, and dancers, jousters and drummers roamed the fields.

From Time Magazine Archive

His most distinguished camp follower, Major General Yadunath Singh, onetime military secretary to Indian President Rajendra Prasad, mounted a bicycle and pedaled back into the gullies to dicker personally with dacoit leaders.

From Time Magazine Archive

When Sheree refuses to let him live on the air base as "a sort of male camp follower," he decides to aloha the boom.

From Time Magazine Archive

A few sellswords turned to watch them pass, and a camp follower sniggered, but no one moved to interfere.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin