bondservant
Unpaid bound worker
A bondservant is a person bound to service without wages, typically to pay off a debt or fulfill a contractual obligation.
The term appears frequently in biblical translations, where it describes voluntary servitude to God or a master: Paul, a bondservant of Christ Jesus.
Unlike chattel slavery, bondservice traditionally implied a term limit or conditions for release, though the distinction often blurred in practice.
Formal binding contract
- contractEnforceable written agreement
- apprenticeshipLearning trade through employment
- debtMoney owed another
- laborerPhysical task performer
master · obligation · colonial · plantation · term · agreement · bound · manumission
Binding formal pledge
- HebrewSemitic language of Israel
- IsraeliteBiblical covenant people member
- DeuteronomyFifth Torah book
- ExodusMass departure from a place
doorpost · voluntary · master · household · kinsman · redeemer · jubilee · manservant
Loyalty owed to authority
- devotionDeep, loyal commitment
- fidelityLoyalty or exactness
- faithfulnessDevoted loyalty maintained
- fealtyPledged devotion to authority
dedication · steadfastness · commitment · trustworthiness · constancy · adherence · duty · honor
Following commands willingly
- subservientExcessively eager to obey
- compliantYielding to others' wishes
- deferentialShowing humble submission
- docileEasily controlled or taught
submissive · meek · dutiful · servile · humble · biddable · yielding · subordinate
indenture
Formal binding contract
- contractEnforceable written agreement
- apprenticeshipLearning trade through employment
- debtMoney owed another
laborer · master · obligation · colonial · plantation · term · agreement · bound · manumission · freedman
covenant
Binding formal pledge
- HebrewSemitic language of Israel
- IsraeliteBiblical covenant people member
- DeuteronomyFifth Torah book
Exodus · doorpost · voluntary · master · household · kinsman · redeemer · jubilee · manservant · maidservant
allegiance
Loyalty owed to authority
- devotionDeep, loyal commitment
- fidelityLoyalty or exactness
- faithfulnessDevoted loyalty maintained
fealty · dedication · steadfastness · commitment · trustworthiness · constancy · adherence · duty · honor · liege
obedient
Following commands willingly
- subservientExcessively eager to obey
- compliantYielding to others' wishes
- deferentialShowing humble submission
docile · submissive · meek · dutiful · servile · humble · biddable · yielding · subordinate · lowly
- Mosaic lawMoses, Mosaic law, Ten Commandments, tablets of stone, commandment
- bondageslavery, slaves, thrall, chattel, serf
- Chinese Courtmandarin, court official, eunuch, empress, crown prince
- unfree laborersslave, chattel slave, bondswoman, serf, thrall
- servantsbutler, maid, servants, domestics, valet
- feudal tenantserf, villein, peasant, vassal, copyholder
bondservantfreedman
Released former slave
freeman · free agent · wage earner · yeoman · freeholder
bondservantmaster
Authority or controller
lord · owner · slaveholder · slaveowner · overlord