Box·er / ˈbäksər/ • n. a member of a fiercely nationalistic Chinese secret society that flourished in the 19th century. In 1899 the society led a Chinese uprising (the Boxer Rebellion) against Western domination that was eventually crushed by a combined European force, aided by Japan and the U.S.

box·er / ˈbäksər/ • n. 1. a person who takes part in boxing, esp. as a sport. 2. a medium-sized dog of a breed with a smooth brown coat and puglike face.

boxer Smooth-haired working dog bred originally in Germany. It has a broad head with a deep, short, square muzzle, and its deep-chested body is set on strong, medium-length legs. The tail is commonly docked, and its coat is generally red or brown, with black and white markings. Height: to 61cm (24in) at the shoulder.

Boxer1 a member of a fiercely nationalistic Chinese secret society which flourished in the 19th century. In 1899 the society led a Chinese uprising against Western domination which was eventually crushed by a combined European force, aided by Japan and the US. The name translates Chinese yì hé quán, literally ‘righteous harmony fists’.

Boxer2 in Orwell's Animal Farm (1945), the name of the carthorse who is a type of simple and hardworking loyalty (his credo is ‘I must work harder’), but who is rewarded by being sent to the knacker's when no longer physically able to work.