View synonyms for camp follower

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.

camp follower

any civilian, esp a prostitute, who unofficially provides services to military personnel
a nonmember who is sympathetic to a particular group, theory, etc

First recorded in 1800–10

Otmar was in the Army and Margit turned into a camp-follower, moving across the country to an endless stream of training posts.

Every single camp follower--all the women and all the disorderly rabble that hangs upon the march of an army--had disappeared.

Worse still, it fell on many wounded, and to such even the thrust of the thievish camp-follower's tolle-knife was merciful.

It must be realised that these were not fighting men; their sole training had been that of the camp follower.

And, giving our horses in charge of a camp follower, we sought out Sergeant Lawson, who willingly agreed to accompany us.

The army mule was dubbed a "brevet horse" and the camp follower became a "brevet soldier."

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