n.
1) an altar; barrow ( BE ; CE has street vendor ); bugle; cabin; chorus; college ( esp. AE ); delivery; messenger; newspaper; office; shoe-shine; stock; water ~
2) a best ~ ('assistant gaffer on a TV or film set')
3) a ball ~ (who retrieves tennis balls)
4) ( AE ; southern) a good old (ole) ~ ('a good fellow')
5) a mere ~
6) a whipping ~ ('a scapegoat')
7) a blue-eyed ( BE ), fair-haired ( AE ) ~ ('a favorite')
8) ( BE ) a back-room ~ ('a scientist')
USAGE NOTE: The meaning of 'non-white servant', now obsolete, is considered offensive. The AE use of ~ in the meaning of 'black male', now obsolete, is also considered offensive.