household troops

American  

plural noun

1. troops guarding or attending a sovereign or a sovereign's residence.

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household troops British  

plural noun

1. the infantry and cavalry regiments that carry out escort and guard duties for a head of state

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Etymology

Origin of household troops

First recorded in 1705–15

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

household troops

In a recent book called Twentieth Century Socialism, the "household troops" made some startling admissions.

From Time Magazine Archive

Being household troops these regiments are subject to certain special regulations and have certain privileges.

From The New Gresham Encyclopedia. Vol. 1 Part 2 Amiel to Atrauli by Various

Buno took with him ten thousand of the picked fighting men of the household troops, and these wore all their savage finery.

From Adventures in Swaziland The Story of a South African Boer by O'Neil, Owen Rowe

The rajah himself has gone out, with the household troops and a battery of artillery, to put down the tumult.

From At the Point of the Bayonet A Tale of the Mahratta War by Henty, G. A. (George Alfred)

The "auxiliaries" have frequently consisted of soldiers selected from the household troops.

From A Book of the Play Studies and Illustrations of Histrionic Story, Life, and Character by Cook, Dutton