Fighting Words

According to the Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, a free lance is "a mercenary soldier or military adventurer of the Middle Ages, often of a knightly rank, who offered his services to any state, party, or cause." Originally, the term had a pejorative connotation. Free lancers were dangerous warriors without any allegiance whatsoever. (In times of peace they abandoned soldiering altogether and became roving bands of robbers.) And if you have a problem with that, we'll see you on the battlefield.