Sir Humphreyn.

Brit.

/səː ˈhʌmfri/, U.S.

/sər ˈhəm(p)fri/

Origin: From a proper name. Etymon: proper name Sir Humphrey.

Etymology: < the name of Sir Humphrey Appleby, a character created by J. Lynn and A. Jay, in the BBC television series Yes, Minister (1980–4) and Yes, Prime Minister (1986–8).

colloquial (originally and chiefly British).

A senior civil servant, esp. one considered secretive, scheming, or reactionary. Chiefly in plural.

ΚΠ

1985 Times 14 July 45/6 Dunsford's escalation difficulties will warm the hearts of Sir Humphreys everywhere.

1988 Courier-Mail (Brisbane) 30 Mar. 7/5 Proposed changes to the Public Service Act would create a new breed of ‘Sir Humphreys’, the Queensland Teachers union said yesterday.

2001 Daily Tel. 28 Feb. 25/6 One former senior civil servant declared: ‘All sorts of people in the scientific community are absolutely furious over what they see as the Sir Humphreys playing games with a piece of science.’

This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, June 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

单词	sir humphrey
释义	Sir Humphreyn. Brit. /səː ˈhʌmfri/, U.S. /sər ˈhəm(p)fri/ Origin: From a proper name. Etymon: proper name Sir Humphrey. Etymology: < the name of Sir Humphrey Appleby, a character created by J. Lynn and A. Jay, in the BBC television series Yes, Minister (1980–4) and Yes, Prime Minister (1986–8). colloquial (originally and chiefly British). A senior civil servant, esp. one considered secretive, scheming, or reactionary. Chiefly in plural. ΚΠ 1985 Times 14 July 45/6 Dunsford's escalation difficulties will warm the hearts of Sir Humphreys everywhere. 1988 Courier-Mail (Brisbane) 30 Mar. 7/5 Proposed changes to the Public Service Act would create a new breed of ‘Sir Humphreys’, the Queensland Teachers union said yesterday. 2001 Daily Tel. 28 Feb. 25/6 One former senior civil servant declared: ‘All sorts of people in the scientific community are absolutely furious over what they see as the Sir Humphreys playing games with a piece of science.’ This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, June 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022). < n.1985
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