Lion's Provider
Preserved but no longer current.
A jackal; a foil to another man's wit, a humble friend who plays into your hand to show you to best advantage. The jackal (<?.v.) feeds on the lion's leavings, and is said to yell to advise the lion that if has roused up his prey, serving the lion in much the same way as a dog serves a sportsman. ... the poor jackals are less foul, As being the brave lion's keen providers, Than human insects catering for spiders.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Lion's Provider” mean?
A jackal; a foil to another man's wit, a humble friend who plays into your hand to show you to best advantage. The jackal (<?.v.) feeds on the lion's leavings, and is said to yell to advise the lion that if has roused up his prey, serving the lion in much the same way as a dog serves a sportsman. ... the poor jackals are less foul, As being the brave lion's keen providers, Than human insects catering for spiders.
Is “Lion's Provider” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.