un chien de commissaire

ByFast French

“Un chien de commissaire” is a French saying that literally means “a police chief’s dog.” It is used to refer to a police commissioner’s assistant, a police officer or a police inspector. It is an idiom that contains a certain amount of contempt for the person whose job it is to assist the police chief in the maintenance of law and order. The reference to a dog is less a reference to someone who is faithful and more a reference to someone of lowly status.

Equivalent English expressions include “sidekick,” “underling,” and a “dogsbody.”

The date of the first use of this expression is unknown.

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