errand boy
errand boy — noun
- errand boysingular
- errand boysplural
1. a male junior worker paid to carry messages or small goods for a store, office,
a male junior worker paid to carry messages or small goods for a store, office, or other workplace
The tailor sent the errand boy across town with a parcel of finished jackets.
sent the errand boy with goods
At sixteen, Dev worked as an errand boy for a small printing office.
worked as an errand boy for a business
The shopkeeper asked the errand boy to deliver a note to the warehouse.
Before telephones were common, an errand boy might carry orders between offices.
- messenger
a more general and gender-neutral word for someone who carries messages
- runner
someone who carries things or does small tasks, especially in an office or production setting
- delivery boy
a boy who delivers goods; broader and less focused on messages
文法句型
work as an errand boy
employ an errand boy
send the errand boy to + place
用法筆記
This term can sound old-fashioned and male-specific. In modern workplaces, people often use messenger, assistant, or runner instead, depending on the job.
常見錯誤
Incorrect: 'She errands boy for the shop.' Correct: 'He worked as an errand boy for the shop.' 'Errand boy' is a noun phrase for a person, not a verb.
errand boy — idiom
1. someone paid or expected to run small tasks for a powerful or important person
someone paid or expected to run small tasks for a powerful or important person
The aide disliked being treated as an errand boy for senior officials.
treated as an errand boy
Marco said he was hired as an analyst, not as the director's errand boy.
someone's errand boy
During the campaign, junior staff often acted as errand boys for the candidate.
The phrase made the job sound low-status, as if Ravi were only an errand boy.
文法句型
act as someone's errand boy
treat someone as an errand boy
be no one's errand boy
用法筆記
Often negative when used about an adult, because it suggests the person has little authority and only runs small tasks for someone else.
常見錯誤
Incorrect: 'The manager is an errand boy' when you mean 'the manager delegates errands.' Correct: 'The assistant was treated like an errand boy.' The phrase describes the person doing the small tasks, not the person giving orders.