syce

or saice, sice

[ sahys ]

noun

1. (in India) a groom; stable attendant.

syce

/ saɪs /

noun

1. (formerly, in India) a servant employed to look after horses, drive carriages, etc
2. (in Malaysia) a driver or chauffeur

Word History and Origins

Origin of syce¹

1645–55; < Urdu sā'is < Arabic

Word History and Origins

Origin of syce¹

C17: from Urdu sā'is, from Arabic, from sāsa to administer

Example Sentences

My next “At Home” day I was wiser, and secured the services of the mother of our syce, who was a Moslem, as I did not like to see a strange woman doing the honours of the tea-table.

From Project Gutenberg

There was Mr. Isaacs, the head clerk, with a red-coated chaprassi and a syce also mounted, who accompanied us on a visit to two monasteries further up the valley.

From Project Gutenberg

How delightful are those early morning rides, when, after partaking of the refreshing cup of tea or coffee, your "syce" or groom brings the pawing steed to your door, and once in the saddle, you wander for miles, with nothing to impede your progress but an occasional low mud wall, or bank and ditch, which your horse takes in his stride, or a thorny "nullah," up and down whose steep sides you scramble.

From Project Gutenberg

The lowest subaltern owns a pony or two, and rides to and from his military duties, and the pony may be seen led up and down in front of the mess house, or standing playfully flicking the flies off with his tail, while the faithful syce, his lean brown limbs trained to exceeding fineness by the long distances he runs, squats meekly on the dusty ground, and calls his charge by all sorts of endearing names, which the animal seems perfectly to understand.

From Project Gutenberg

I had a syce or groom who passed by the name of Lal Biro.

From Project Gutenberg