Ever notice the noun "minions" is only used when you don't like somebody?

[raccoon]

For example:

Bush and his minions

Satan and his minions

[Scuba]

1. I miss "cavalcade". No one ever says that anymore.

[raccoon]

2. I nevr heard anyone say it in the first place. Must be a regional thing. nt

[EvilAL]

3. If you like someone you can still call their minions "minions".

For example:

My mom and her minions

Jesus and his minions.

[raccoon]

4. Yeah, technically it's correct. I just haven't ever heard it used when the subject is well thought

of by the speaker.

[EvilAL]

5. Me either.

I can't think of one example of someone saying minions when they weren't referring to someone they hate or something evil. Maybe it's like demons, just automatically bad.

[In_The_Wind]

6. Right ...

like the minions of DU

[pipi_k]

7. Damn

I always thought "minions" were very small onions

[Gidney N Cloyd]

8. Silly, it's a cut of beef. As in "Let's go to Morton's and get us some Filet Minions."

But you have to like someone to take them to Morton's so I'm not sure what Raccoon is getting at in the OP...

[pipi_k]

14. OMG you mean

it's not "flayed minions"?

stoopid me...

[OriginalGeek]

9. My wife loves them!

in fact, i use a pic of a minion as her avatar on my phone...

[Xyzse]

10. I love those minions

[pipi_k]

15. Me too...

and although I've never been accused of being one, I've often been accused of having them...


Way better than having crabs or cooties, IMO...

[Sanity Claws]

11. Same with "ilk"

It has the same negative connotation, Bush and his ilk, my ex- and his ilk...

[Loryn]

12. I like minions, but they've got nothing on shenanigans!

Maybe that's just me, but still.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

13. Perhaps because we imperfectly understand the definition....

part of which includes: One who is highly esteemed or favored; a darling.

It is from the French mignon meaning darling

[raccoon]

16. Whaddya know. We got the wrong end of the stick. Here's another definition from answers.com:

minion ( mn ' yn ) n. An obsequious follower or dependent; a sycophant. A subordinate official, especially a servile one.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

17. And the more common usage...

but common does not equal exclusivity.

[LiberalEsto]

18. Minions disagree with me

[MiddleFingerMom]

19. I read VORACIOUSLY when I was growing up and one of the things I read...

.
.
.
... was a series of "boys' adventure/mystery" novels -- kind of male Nancy Drews. They seemed to always be set
in prep schools or military academies. The BAD kid (bully/cheat/weasel) always had one or more wingmen who
were referred to by others as "toadies" (the most obvious one I can think of that people might know is the little
smartass who was with the Dan'l Boone-capped bully who beat Ralphie's ass every day in "A Christmas Story".
.
It was the same as "minions".
.
toad·y (td)
n. pl. toad·ies
A person who flatters or defers to others for self-serving reasons; a sycophant.
.
.
.
I STILL run into toadies far too often.
.
.
.

[Taverner]

20. Unless you're saying Kaddish, but that's spelled differently :)

[Tuesday Afternoon]

21. heh, I remember when SPK sent me a PM telling me he was surprised that I was not one of his minions.

fun times in the lounge.

[LiberalElite]

22. Yes. I recently said "Regis Philbin has minions"

[nikto]

23. Everybody wants their kids to grow up to be Minions

May all your children be Minions in their lives.

[nikto]

24. Love the Disney influence on kids

makes 'em all want to be Minions.



And they will be.