hind

Etymology 1

From Middle English hinde, from Old English hindan (“at the rear, from behind”), Proto-Germanic *hinder (“behind, beyond”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱem-ta- (“down, below, with, far, along, against”), from *ḱóm (“beside, near, by, with”). Cognate with Gothic 𐌷𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐌽𐌰 (hindana, “from beyond”), Old Norse hindr (“obstacle”), Old Norse handan (“from that side, beyond”), Old High German hintana (“behind”), Old English hinder (“behind, back, in the farthest part, down”), Latin contra (“in return, against”). More at hinder, contrary.

adj

1. Located at the rear (most often said of animals' body parts).
   Fareweel, my rhyme-compoſing billie! / Your native ſoil was right ill-willie; / But may ye flouriſh like a lily, / Now bonilie! / I'll toaſt ye in my hindmoſt gillie, / Tho' owre the Sea! 31 July 1786, Robert Burns, “On a Scotch Bard Gone to the West Indies”, in Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire: Printed by John Wilson, →OCLC; reprinted Kilmarnock: James McKie, March 1867, →OCLC, page 184
2. Backward; to the rear.

Etymology 2

Wikispecies From Middle English hind, hinde, hynde, from Old English hind, Proto-West Germanic *hindu, from Proto-Germanic *hindō, *hindiz, from a formation on Proto-Indo-European *ḱem- (“hornless”). Cognate with Dutch hinde, German Hinde, Danish hind.

noun

1. A female deer, especially a red deer at least two years old.
2. A spotted food fish of the genus Epinephelus.

Etymology 3

From Middle English hynd, hine, from Old English hī(ġ)na, genitive plural of hīġa (“servant, family member”), in the phrase hīna fæder ‘paterfamilias’. The -d is a later addition (compare sound). Compare Old Frisian hinde (“servant”).

noun

1. (archaic) A servant, especially an agricultural labourer.
   The farmers ſervants who have families, and engage by the year, are called hinds, and receive 10 bolls oats, 2 bolls barley, and 1 boll peas, which two laſt articles are called hummel corn, […] 1792, Robert Bowmaker, “Number LI. Parish of Dunse, (County of Berwick.)”, in John Sinclair, editor, The Statistical Account of Scotland. Drawn Up from the Communications of the Ministers of the Different Parishes, volume IV, Edinburgh: Printed and sold by William Creech [et al.], →OCLC, page 386
   The peaceful tenour of Nina's life was interrupted one morning by the mysterious looks and whisperings of her maids and hinds. 1827, Maria Elizabeth Budden, Nina, An Icelandic Tale, page 41
   that my brother can sit at leisure in a seat and learn something and I must work like a hind, who am your son as well as he! 1931, Pearl S. Buck, The Good Earth