liege

liege
liege (adj.) word used by a vassal to address his superior or lord in the feudal system, c.1300, from Anglo-Fr. lige (late 13c.), O.Fr. lige " (feudal) liege, free, giving or receiving fidelity," perhaps from L.L. laeticus "cultivated by serfs," from laetus "serf," which probably is from P.Gmc. *lethiga- "freed" (Cf. O.E. læt "half-freedman, serf;" O.H.G. laz, O.Fris. lethar "freedman"), from PIE root *le- "let go, slacken" (see LET (Cf. let) (v.)). Or the Middle English word may be directly from O.H.G. leidig "free." As a noun from late 14c., both as "vassal" and "lord." Hence, liege-man "a vassal sworn to the service and support of a lord, who in turn is obliged to protect him" (mid-14c.).

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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Synonyms:
(to service, as a vassal; or to protection, as a lord), , ,


Look at other dictionaries:

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  • liege — LIEGE. s. m. Espece de chesne verd, qui vient dans les lieux sablonneux, & dont la seconde escorce est fort spongieuse & legere. Il se prend ordinairement pour la seconde escorce de cet arbre. Le liege est fort leger & nage sur l eau. on met de… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • Liege — (l[=e]j), n. 1. A free and independent person; specif., a lord paramount; a sovereign. Mrs. Browning. [1913 Webster] The anointed sovereign of sighs and groans, Liege of all loiterers and malcontents. Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. The subject of a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Liège — (French, Hungarian, Swedish), Lîdje / Lîdge (Walloon), Léck (Luxembourgish), Leodium (Latin), L ež Льеж (Russian), Лиеж (Bulgarian), Liege (Finnish, Romanian, Swedish, Turkish), Liége (former French, Portuguese), Liegi (Italian), Lieĝo… …   Names of cities in different languages

  • liege — [lēj] adj. [OFr, prob. < Frank base akin to OHG ledig, free, but infl. by L ligare, to bind] 1. Feudal Law a) entitled to the service and allegiance of his vassals [a liege lord] b) bound to give service and allegiance to the lord [liege… …   English World dictionary

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