chauffeur

[shoh-fer, shoh-fur] /ˈʃoʊ fər, ʃoʊˈfɜr/
noun
1.
a person employed to drive a private automobile or limousine for the owner.
2.
a person employed to drive a car or limousine that transports paying passengers.
verb (used with object)
3.
to drive (a vehicle) as a chauffeur.
4.
to transport by car:
Saturday mornings I have to chauffeur the kids to their music lessons.
verb (used without object)
5.
to work as a chauffeur:
He chauffeured for a time right after the war.
Origin
1895-1900; < French, equivalent to chauff(er) to heat (see chafe) + -eur -eur
Related forms
unchauffeured, adjective
well-chauffeured, adjective
Can be confused
chauffeur, shofar.
Examples from the web for chauffeur
  • He nods to the chauffeur, who opens the glove compartment.
  • When he had given them all his blessing, the chauffeur helped him into the car and drove off.
  • He was driven to school by a chauffeur in one of the family's two cars.
  • They do not check homework, chauffeur to lessons, or organize games.
  • As his chauffeur took us across town via a circuitous route, our conversation drifted intermittently.
  • It had folding side seats and could comfortably accommodate seven people, including the chauffeur.
  • When the chauffeur opened the door for us to get out, a hot gust of wind blew multicolored wedding confetti into the car.
  • Getting rid of his taxpayer-sponsored chauffeur was another.
  • Individuals must have a city chauffeur's license to be eligible for the medallion lottery.
  • chauffeur services differ from taxi services in that all trips are prearranged.
British Dictionary definitions for chauffeur

chauffeur

/ˈʃəʊfə; ʃəʊˈfɜː/
noun
1.
a person employed to drive a car
verb
2.
to act as driver for (a person): he chauffeured me to the stadium, he chauffeurs for the Duke
Derived Forms
chauffeuse (ʃəʊˈfɜːz) noun:feminine
Word Origin
C20: from French, literally: stoker, from chauffer to heat
Word Origin and History for chauffeur
n.

1896, originally "a motorist," from French chauffeur, literally "stoker," operator of a steam engine, French nickname for early motorists, from chauffer "to heat," from Old French chaufer "to heat, warm up; to become hot" (see chafe). The first motor-cars were steam-driven. Sense of "professional or paid driver of a private motor car" is from 1902.

The '95 Duryea wagon, which won the Chicago contest Fall, was exhibited at the Detroit Horse Show last week. Charles B. King, treasurer of the American Motor League, acted as "chauffeur," as the French say. ["The Horseless Age," April 1896]

v.

1902, from chauffeur (n.). Related: Chauffeured; chauffeuring.