jackal

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. Any of several doglike mammals of the genus Canis of Africa and southern Asia that are mainly foragers feeding on plants, small animals, and occasionally carrion.
2. n. An accomplice or a lackey who aids in the commission of base or disreputable acts.
3. n. One who performs menial tasks for another.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A kind of wild dog somewhat resembling a fox, which inhabits Asia and Africa; one of several species of old-world fox-like Canidæ, of the genus Canis, as C. aureus of Asia, or C. anthus of Africa. The jackals are of gregarious habits, hunting in packs, rarely attacking the larger quadrupeds, lurking during the day, and coming out at night with dismal cries. They feed on the remnants of the lion's prey, dead carcasses, and the smaller animals and poultry. The jackal interbreeds with the common dog, and may be domesticated. The wild jackal emits a highly offensive odor. From the popular but erroneous notion that the jackal hunts up the prey for the king of beasts, he has been called the “lion's provider.”
2. n. Hence Any one who does dirty work for another; one who meanly serves the purpose of another.

Wiktionary

1. n. Any of several wild canine species, native to the tropical Old World, smaller than a wolf.
2. n. A person who performs menial/routine tasks, dogsbody
3. n. pejorative A person who behaves in an opportunistic way; especially a base collaborator.
4. n. slang, rare A jack (the playing card.)
5. v. To perform menial or routine tasks

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. (Zoöl.) Any one of several species of carnivorous animals inhabiting Africa and Asia, related to the dog and wolf. They are cowardly, nocturnal, and gregarious. They feed largely on carrion, and are noted for their piercing and dismal howling.
2. n. colloq. One who does mean work for another's advantage, as jackals were once thought to kill game which lions appropriated.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. Old World nocturnal canine mammal closely related to the dog; smaller than a wolf; sometimes hunts in a pack but usually singly or as a member of a pair