lickspittle

Definition

A fawning toady; a base sycophant.

Etymology

A compounding: lick (“pass one’s tongue over”) + spittle (“saliva”); the verb may derive by back-formation from the nominal derivation lickspittling (see below).

Example Sentences

• ""I've found you out and know you thoroughly, you mean, whining lickspittle!""
• ""You're a suck, a suck and a lickspittle, that's what you are," said the pale man, his voice trembling with passion."
• "His preposterous insults were legendary, and there are accounts of his small-hour attacks on petty moralists and literary lickspittles in obscure Madrid dives where he chain-smoked and drank gallons of gin."