fellow

• But now vnderſtand you, that the kingdome of God is communicated vntoo you by our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, bycauſe he hath purchaced it for you, and made you his brethren and fellowes. - 1577, Iohn Calvin, “The .XXXIIII....
• [W]e are Fellovves ſtill, / Seruing alike in ſorrovv: […] - c. 1605–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Tymon of Athens”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First...
• Rich-men adore their Gold: whoſo aſpires / To lift to Heav'n his ſight and Soules Deſires, / He muſt be Poor (at leaſt-vviſe like the Poor). / Riches and Fear are fellovvs euer-more. - 1608, [Guillaume de Salluste] Du...

Synonyms: adjunct associate business partner cohort colaborer /colabourer collaborator colleague compeer confrere consociate coworker /co-worker fellow jobmate workfellow workmate

• But as ſome of the Oxen in driving, miſſed their fellovvs behind and honing after them, bellovved as their nature is: Hercules chanced to heare them lovv again, and anſvver from out of the cave vvherein they had been...
• A Certain Shepherd had One Favourite-Dog, that he had a Particular Confidence in above all the reſt. He fed him vvith his Ovvn hand, and took more Care of him, in ſhort, then of any of his Fellovvs. - 1692, Roger...

• But five tall barks the vvinds and vvaters toſt / Far from their fellovvs, on th’Ægyptian coaſt. - 1725, Homer, “Book III”, in [Alexander Pope], transl., The Odyssey of Homer. […], volume I, London: […] Bernard Lintot,...
• The great cannon of Mahomet has been ſeparately noticed; an important and viſible object in the hiſtory of the times: but that enormous engine was flanked by two fellows [i.e., cannons] almoſt of equal magnitude: […] -...

• my fellow Americans
• Rebecca and her fellow workers are to go on strike.
• Indeed he vvas a vvorthy Gentleman / Had his eſtate beene fellovv to his mind. - 1607, attributed to Thomas Middleton or Cyril Tourneur, The Revengers Tragædie. […], London: […] G[eorge] Eld, […], →OCLC, Act I:

1. (chiefly in the negative) A person with abilities, achievements, skills, etc., equal to those of another person; a thing with characteristics, worth, etc., equal to those of another thing.

   • to be without fellow to have no fellows
   • [I]n reaſonynge, and debatynge of matters what by his naturall witte, & what by daylye exerciſe, ſuerlye he hadde fewe fellowes. - 1551, Thomas More, “The Fyrste Boke of the Communycacion of Raphaell Hythlodaye...
   • But I am conſtant as the Northerne Starre, / Of vvhoſe true fixt, and reſting quality, / There is no fellovv in the Firmament. - 1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr....

2. (chiefly in the plural) One in the same condition, or situation of need, as another.

   • [I]rrationall creatures cannot diſtinguiſh betvveene Injury, and Dammage; and therefore as long as they be at eaſe, they are not offended vvith their fellovves: […] - 1651, Thomas Hobbes, “Of the Causes, Generation, and...
   • And oft I wiſh, amidſt the ſcene, to find / Some ſpot to real happineſs conſign'd, / Where my worn ſoul, each wand'ring hope at reſt, / May gather bliſs to ſee my fellows bleſt. - 1764 December 19 (indicated as 1765),...
   • For danger levels man and brute, / And all are fellows in their need. - 1819, Lord Byron, Mazeppa, a Poem, London: John Murray, […], →OCLC, stanza III, page 7, lines 51–52:

3. (archaic, chiefly in the plural) An equal in character, power, rank, etc.; a peer.

   • Are yet tvvo Romans liuing ſuch as theſe? / The laſt of all the Romans, far thee vvell: / It is impoſſible, that euer Rome / Should breed thy fellovv. - 1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of...
   • [C]hieftaine of the reſt / I choſe him heere, the earth ſhall him allovv, / His fellovves late, ſhall be his ſubiects novv. - 1600, [Torquato Tasso], “The First Booke of Godfrey of Bulloigne”, in Edward Fairefax [i.e.,...

4. (archaic, chiefly in the plural) A person living at the same time, or about the same age as another, especially when in the same field of study or work.

• In the Parliament novv ſitting at VVeſtminſter (in vvhoſe parallel Convocation nothing of conſequence) the moſt remarkable thing Enacted vvas, the Act made to enable the Provoſt, and Fellovves of Chelsey-Colledge, to...
• One Thomas Stanbridge, […] vvho dying 1522, left ſeveral Books to the Coll. of vvhich he had been Fellovv; vvhich, if I miſtake not, vvas Magd[alen] College. - 1691, [Anthony Wood], “JOHN STANBRIDGE”, in Athenæ...
• The fellows [of Magdalene College, Cambridge] were, by the statutes which their founder had drawn up, empowered to select their own president from among persons who were, or had been, fellows either of their society or...

1. Originally, one of a group of academics who make up a college or similar educational institution; now, a senior member of a college or similar educational institution involved in teaching, research, and management of the institution.

2. An honorary title bestowed by a college or university upon a distinguished person (often an alumna or alumnus).

3. A (senior) member of a learned or professional society.

   • a Fellow of the Royal Society
   • I was now chosen (and nominated by his Majestie for one of yᵉ Council) by suffrage of the rest of yᵉ Members, a Fellow of yᵉ Philosophic Society now meeting at Gresham College, where was an assembly of divers learning...

4. A (senior) member of a learned or professional society.

   (specifically, UK, historical) A senior member of an Inn of Court.

   • About the ſame time he vvent to London, became Fellovv of the Middle Temple, and aftervvards tranſlated from Lat. to Engliſh The five Books of Hieronimus Oſorius, containing a diſcourſe of Civil and Chriſtian Nobility,...

5. (chiefly UK) A scholar appointed to a fellowship, that is, a paid academic position held for a certain period which usually requires the scholar to conduct research.

6. (Canada, US) A physician undergoing a fellowship (supervised subspecialty medical training) after having completed a residency (specialty training program).

7. (US) A member of a college or university who manages its business interests.

8. (US) A senior researcher or technician in a corporation, especially one engaged in research and development.

• my dear fellow old fellow
• Looke in thy laſt vvorke, vvhere thou haſt fegin'd^([sic – meaning feign'd]) him a vvorthy Fellovv. - c. 1605–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Tymon of Athens”, in Mr. William Shakespeares...
• [H]ovv happy ſhall vve be, if each of vs ſhal haue God to go vvith him! Certainely (my deare fellovves) vve ſhall neuer complaine of the vvant of Maiſters, of friends, vvhile vve finde our ſelues ſure of him; nothing...

Synonyms: bloke boy bro broski bruh cat chap chappy chield cove covey dog [⇒ thesaurus] (slang) dawg dude fella fellow gadgie gate geezer gink gloak gome guy health

• [H]e would sometimes reward her with a hearty slap on the back, and protest that she was a devilish good fellow, a jolly dog, and so forth; all of which compliments Miss Sally would receive in entire good part and with...
• The cut of her dress from the waist upward, both before and behind, made her figure very like a boy's kite; and I might have pronounced her gown a little too decidedly-orange, and her gloves a little too intensely...
• Lucy, you are an honest-hearted girl, I know. I should not be here speaking to you as I am now if I did not believe you clean grit, right through to the very depths of your soul. Tell me, like one good fellow to...

• In short, this fellow (laying his hand on his purse) who, thou knowest, father, was somewhat lank and low in condition when I set out four months since, is now as round and full as a six-weeks' porker. - 1828 May 15,...
• So I took the gun and went up a piece into the woods and was hunting around for some birds, when I see a wild pig; hogs soon went wild in them bottoms after they had got away from the prairie farms. I shot this fellow...

• Let me ſee thy gloue. Looke you, / This the fellovv of it. / It vvas I indeed you promiſed to ſtrike. - 1599 (date written), [William Shakespeare], The Cronicle History of Henry the Fift, […] (First Quarto), London: […]...
• I vvalk'd about on the Shore, […] reflecting upon all my Comrades that vvere drovvn'd, […] I never ſavv them aftervvards, or any Sign of them, except three of their Hats, one Cap, and tvvo Shoes that vvere not Fellovvs....

1. Originally (obsolete), a person's partner (of either sex) in life or marriage; a spouse; also, the mate of an animal; now (dated), a person's male lover or partner; a boyfriend; a husband.

   • [N]ovv vvhen they be but heyfers of one year, or tvvo years at the moſt (vvhich is more tollerable) they are let goe to the fellovv and breed. - 1601, C[aius] Plinius Secundus [i.e., Pliny the Elder], “[Book VIII.] Of...
   • I am your vvife, if you vvill marrie me; / If not, Ile die your maid: to be your fellovv / You may denie me, but Ile be your ſeruant / VVhether you vvill or no. - 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The...

• Time, and Heat, are Fellovves in many Effects. Heat drieth Bodies, that doe eaſily expire; As Parchment, Leaues, Roots, Clay, &c. And, ſo doth Time or Age arefie; […] - 1631, Francis [Bacon], “III. Century. [Experiment...

1. (specifically, also figuratively) An associate in the commission of a crime or other wrongful act; an accomplice.

   • For certaine / Either ſome one like us night founder'd here, / Or elſe ſome neighbour vvood man, or at worſt / Some roaving robber calling to his fellovvs. - 1634 October 9 (first performance; Gregorian calendar), [John...

• If thou be for his profit, he vſeth the: but yf thou haue nothinge, he ſhal forſake the. As longe as thou haſt eny thinge of thine owne, he ſhal be a good felowe with the: Yee he ſhal make the a bare man, and not be...
• [T]ruly for the Engliſheman to bee offended with the admixtion of Latine, or the Latine manne to miſlike the poutheryng of Greke, appereth vnto me a moche like thing, as […] one that drinketh ſingle Beere, ſhould be...

• 'Don't Fellovv me,' ſaid the Bailiff, 'I am as good a Fellovv as yourſelf, I believe, tho' you have that Ribbond in your Hat there.' - 1751 December (indicated as 1752), Henry Fielding, “Which Inclines Rather to Satir...
• "I dare say—I dare day—my good fellow." / "Fellow not me—I won't be fellowed now; I say I have the best of it here—man to man—I am your match." - 1837, [Edward Bulwer-Lytton], chapter IX, in Ernest Maltravers […] ,...

• For my part, let me rather affect and applaud the harmleſs humor of that miſ-called Saint, vvho in an indiſcreet humility called every VVoolf his brother, and every Sheep, yea, every Ant his ſiſter, fellovving himſelf...

• [A] man by nature is rather deſirous to fellow him ſelfe to another and ſo to liue in couple, than to adherd^([sic – meaning adhere?]) himſelfe with many. - 1562–1565 (date written), Thomas Smyth [i.e., Thomas Smith],...

• Affection? thy Intention ſtabs the Center. / Thou do'ſt make poſſible things not ſo held, / Communicat'ſt vvith Dreames (hovv can this be?) / VVith vvhat's vnreall: thou coactiue art, / And fellow'ſt nothing. - c....
• Some fevv there vvere left all to follovv Him: / Eſteeming all to baſe to fellovv Him: / And joyfully receiv'd Him as their Lord, / Deriving their ſalvation from his VVord, […] - 1628, I[oseph] F[letcher], “The Blessed...

• VVhere is the gentleman? 't vvas for his ſake / I vvould have lien vvith you, vvo'd it vvere as lavvfull to fellovv nights vvith him. - a. 1633 (date written), Thomas Dekker, The Wonder of a Kingdome, London: […] Robert...