ˈfäləwə(r), -lōə- noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English folwer, folower, from Old English folgere, from folgian to follow + -ere -er — more at follow
1.
a. : one in the service of another : retainer , attendant , servant
b. : one that follows the opinions or teachings of another : adherent , disciple
c. : one that imitates another
d. : a beau or admirer especially of a maidservant
2. archaic : one that chases : pursuer
3. Britain : a young domestic animal
a herd of 34 Ayrshire cows and 36 followers
4.
a. : a disk of wood used to apply pressure to hooped cheese
b. : a short wooden piece placed on top of a pile so that the pile may be driven below the bottom limit of a pile driver or below a water surface
c.
(1) : a short metal cylinder in the tubular magazine of a firearm between the spiral spring and the column of cartridges
(2) : the short metal arm in a box magazine between the magazine spring and the cartridges
d. : the movable plate of a screw press
e. : a flange for holding piston rings in position
f. : a gland in a stuffing box
g. or follower block : follow block
h. or follower plate : the metal plate bearing against either end of a railroad-car draft gear and transmitting the stresses from the coupler to the draft gear and from the draft gear to the draft sill
5. : a sheet of parchment or paper added to the first sheet of an indenture or other deed
6. : a machine part (as a cogwheel) that receives motion from another part — see whitworth's quick return illustration
7. : a tool used during disassembly of a cylinder lock to keep the springs and drivers in place