c. 1400, also brigaunt, "lightly armed irregular foot-soldier," from Old French brigand (14c.), from Italian brigante "trooper, skirmisher, foot soldier," from brigare "to brawl, fight" (see brigade). The sense of "robber, freebooter, one who lives by pillaging" is earlier in English (late 14c.), reflecting the lack of distinction between professional mercenary armies and armed, organized criminals.

Probably then it was in the sense of skirmishers that the name of brigand was given to certain light-armed foot-soldiers, frequently mentioned by Froissart and his contemporaries. ... The passage from the sense of a light-armed soldier to that of a man pillaging on his own account, is easily understood. [Hensleigh Wedgwood, "A Dictionary of English Etymology," 1859]

"service resulting in harm rather than benefit, intentional or not," 1590s; see dis- + service (n.). Perhaps formed on analogy of French desservice (16c.).

early 15c., "small service book used by a priest," from Old French manuel "handbook" (also "plow-handle"), from Late Latin manuale "case or cover of a book, handbook," noun use of neuter of Latin manualis "of or belonging to the hand; that can be thrown by hand," from manus "hand, strength, power over; armed force; handwriting," from PIE root *man- (2) "hand." Meaning "a concise handbook" of any sort is from 1530s. The etymological sense is "small book such as may be carried in the hand or conveniently used by one hand."

"re-enlist," by 1906, U.S. armed forces slang, from re- "back, again" + up (v.) "enlist." Related: Re-upped; re-upping.

"fruit of the service tree," 1520s, from French sorbe, from Latin sorbum "service-berry" (small, edible fruit of the European mountain ash), from sorbus, of uncertain origin.

also corme, 1570s, "fruit of the service-tree," from French corme, from Latin cornum "cornel-cherry" (but applied to service-berries in French); see cornel. Of the tree itself, 1670s.

1844, with reference to armed forces; from volunteer + -ism. In reference to volunteer labor in community activities, by 1977.

"one who conducts a religious service, one who administers a sacrament," 1836, from noun use of Medieval Latin officiantem (nominative officians) "performing religious services," present participle of officiare "to perform religious services," from Latin officium "a service; an official duty; ceremonial observance" (in Medieval Latin, "church service"); see office.

"to send by express service," 1716, from express (n.).

also pistoleer, "one who uses a pistol, soldier armed with a pistol," 1570s from obsolete French pistolier, from pistole (see pistol).