An attending male servant; a footman; a servile follower. Like a Christian footboy or a gentleman's lackey. Shak. Lackey caterpillar (Zoöl.), the caterpillar, or larva, of any bombycid moth of the genus Clisiocampa; -- so called from its party- colored markings. The common European species (C. neustria) is striped with blue, yellow, and red, with a white line on the back. The American species (C. Americana and C. sylvatica) are commonly called tent caterpillars. See Tent caterpillar,under Tent. -- Lackey moth (Zoöl.), the moth which produces the lackey caterpillar.
To attend as a lackey; to wait upon. A thousand liveried angels lackey her. Milton.
To act or serve as lackey; to pay servile attendance.
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