right-hand woman

right-hand woman (plural right-hand women)

1. A trusted female assistant.
   • 1711 June 27, The Spectator:

     When my female Regiment is drawn up in Array with every one her Weapon in her Hand, upon my giving the Word to handle their Fans, each of them shakes her Fan at me with a Smile, then gives her Right-hand Woman a Tap upon the Shoulder, then presses her Lips with the Extremity of her Fan […]

   • 2000 June 11, William Claiborne, “In Missouri Race, Emotion Becomes a Driving Force”, in Washington Post‎^[1]:

     Tina Meyers, 44, who said she votes Republican, and Dollie Hopkins, 67, who said she is an independent, split. Meyers said the GOP incumbent, John Ashcroft, has more experience and a better chance for senior committee assignments, while Hopkins said that Carnahan did well in state office and that his wife had been his "right-hand woman."

   • 2015 May 5, Rosamund Urwin, “Election Night 2015: How to pull off an all-nighter on May 7”, in The London Standard‎^[2]:

     This close to the election, and every political adviser in the land will be sporting charcoal crescents under their eyes while hooking themselves up to Red Bull drips. The party leaders may be tired — a make-up artist told me last week that Ed Miliband had asked for “extra concealer” before a recent TV interview — but it’s their right-hand women and men who find sleep is a luxury they have to do without.

   • 2021 March 31, Benjamin Lee, “Made for Love review – Black Mirror-esque comedy needs an upgrade”, in The Guardian‎^[3]:

     Magnussen is as cartoonish as his character while there are small, sparky opportunities for Patti Harrison as Hazel’s old friend and Noma Dumezweni as Byron’s right-hand woman, that are hopefully expanded in future episodes.

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• right-hand man

• “right-hand woman”, in Collins English Dictionary.