Myrmidons of the Law
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Bailiffs, sheriffs' officers, and other law servants. Any rough fellow employed to annoy another is the employer's myrmidon.
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 “Myrmidons of the Law” mean?
Bailiffs, sheriffs' officers, and other law servants. Any rough fellow employed to annoy another is the employer's myrmidon.
Is “Myrmidons of the Law” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.