day off, retirement, errands, gofer, dogsbody

At times, Robert Craft felt like a dogsbody for his tiny, witty, bantam-like boss. But he admired his genius too much—and loved him too much—to leave

At Igor’s side

Robert Craft, conductor, musicologist and amanuensis of Stravinsky, died on November 10th, aged 92

ECON.ST

Before long I was hired as a gofer in the Paris bureau of Time, and ultimately became a staff correspondent.


off 學
Quote:

"The trouble with retirement is that you never get a day off." — Abe Lemons

day off
A day away from work, school, or a similar obligation; a free day. For example, Sophie always used her day off to do errands. [Late 1800s]

gofer

Pronunciation: /ˈgəʊfə/

(also gopher)

Definition of gofer

noun

informal

• a person who runs errands, especially on a film set or in an office; a dogsbody: he had worked his way from a gofer in the front office to general manager

Origin:

1960s: from go for (i.e. go and fetch)

dogsbody

noun (plural dogsbodies)

British informal

• a person who is given menial tasks to do, especially a junior in an office:I got myself a job as typist and general dogsbody on a small magazine

Derivatives

dogsbodying

noun 

errand

Pronunciation: /ˈɛr(ə)nd/

Definition of errand

noun

• a short journey undertaken in order to deliver or collect something, especially on someone else’s behalf:she asked Tim to run an errand for her
• the purpose or object of an errand:she knew that if she stated her errand she would not be able to see him

Phrases

errand of mercy

a journey or mission carried out to help someone in difficulty or danger: a mountaineer and his St Bernard setting off on an errand of mercy