👐 Wait on Hand and Foot, to 🦶
Wait on hand and foot, to – To serve someone’s every need, to attend assiduously. This expression is very old indeed; a manuscript of ca. 1330 states “Sche . . . servede hem hande and fete.” In The Perfect Woman (1955) L. P. Hartley wrote, “He has everything he wants and servants who wait on him hand and foot.”
Synonyms
- Cater to someone’s every whim
- Dote on
Antonyms
- Neglect
- Ignore
Related Phrases and Idioms:
- At one’s beck and call: Immediately ready to obey someone’s requests.
- Bend over backwards: To go to great lengths to help or please someone.
- Put oneself out: To inconvenience oneself in order to help someone.
Proverbs and Quotes
- “To serve is beautiful, but only if it is done with joy and a whole heart.” — Pope John Paul II
- “A true friend is someone who will drop everything to come to your aid, no questions asked.”
Suggested Literature
- The Perfect Woman by L. P. Hartley: A glance into the epitome of servitude.
- Emma by Jane Austen: Witness how Emma learns what true service and care look like.
- Great Expectations by Charles Dickens: Observe the loyalty in servitude.
Notable Movies
- The Devil Wears Prada (2006) – A high-pressure look at serving an uncompromising boss.
- Downton Abbey (2019) – Dive into a world where service is a way of life.
Light-Hearted Jokes
Why did the servant bring a ladder to the table?
Because they wanted to wait on their boss “up and down!” 😂
### Which of these is a real idiom that means serving someone excessively?
- [ ] Walking through fire with bare feet
- [ ] Holding the door open for an elephant
- [x] Wait on hand and foot
- [ ] Dancing with seventeen monkeys
> **Explanation:** "Wait on hand and foot" is a genuine idiom meaning to cater to someone’s every need. The other choices? Just as eccentric as they sound! 🌟
### Which phrase implies extreme dedication in service?
- [ ] Staring at a dynamic pigeon
- [x] At one's beck and call
- [ ] Jumping over a rainbow
- [ ] Swimming with invisible fish
> **Explanation:** "At one's beck and call" means to be readily available to fulfill someone's requests. The other options are purely whimsical. 🌈
### True or False: "Wait on hand and foot" means to neglect someone's needs.
- [ ] True
- [x] False
> **Explanation:** False! "Wait on hand and foot" literally means the opposite—to serve someone’s every need with dedication and diligence. 🦶
📖🚪 Come back soon to unlock more idioms, and may your curiosity always be at your “beck and call!” Until next time, keep exploring the fabulous world of words with a smile! 🌟
