dog robber
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
An officer's orderly or servant; a factotum; Someone whose job is to run errands for an officer.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
He had detailed from his company a jovial Irish lad as orderly — the regular army name for the position is dog-robber.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
One whose role is to acquire scarce goods, from military equipment to liquor or perfume, often staying barely within the letter of the law.
Register: slang
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “dog robber” mean?
An officer's orderly or servant; a factotum; Someone whose job is to run errands for an officer.
Is “dog robber” formal or informal?
dog robber is generally slang.