Freemason

Freemason
Freemason late 14c., originally a traveling guild of masons with a secret code; in the early 17c. they began accepting honorary members and teaching them the secrets and lore, which by 1717 had developed into the fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons. The exact origin of the free- is a subject of dispute. Some [e.g. Klein] see a corruption of Fr. frère "brother," from frèremaçon "brother mason;" others say it was because the masons worked on "free-standing" stones; still others see them as "free" from the control of local guilds or lords [OED].

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Freemason — [frē′mā΄sən] n. [< obs. freemason, a skilled itinerant mason, free to move from town to town without restraint by local guilds] a member of an international secret society having as its principles brotherliness, charity, and mutual aid: also… …   English World dictionary

  • Freemason — Free ma son, n. One of an ancient and secret association or fraternity, said to have been at first composed of masons or builders in stone, but now consisting of persons who are united for social enjoyment and mutual assistance. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Freemason — ► NOUN ▪ a member of an international order established for mutual help and fellowship, which holds elaborate secret ceremonies. DERIVATIVES Freemasony noun …   English terms dictionary

  • Freemason — UK [ˈfriːˌmeɪs(ə)n] / US [ˈfrɪˌmeɪs(ə)n] noun [countable] Word forms Freemason : singular Freemason plural Freemasons a member of an international secret society of men who agree to help each other. A Freemason is often simply called a Mason …   English dictionary

  • Freemason — Free|ma|son [ fri,meısn ] noun count a member of an international secret society of men who agree to help each other. A Freemason is often simply called a Mason …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • Freemason — [[t]fri͟ːmeɪs(ə)n[/t]] Freemasons N COUNT A Freemason is a man who is a member of a large secret society. Freemasons promise to help each other, and use a system of secret signs in order to recognize each other …   English dictionary

  • Freemason (horse) — Freemason was an Australian racehorse from the early 2000 s. He was owned by the Inghams and trained by John Hawkes. His most famous win was the 2003 BMW Stakes where he raced neck and neck down the straight with Northerly and just prevailed. He… …   Wikipedia

  • Freemason's Tavern — La Freemason s Tavern es una taberna situada en la calle Great Queen, en el centro de Londres, en Inglaterra, famosa por ser el lugar donde, el 26 de octubre de 1863, tuvo lugar la reunión en la que se establecieron las bases del fútbol actual,… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Freemason Island — Sp Masònų salà Ap Freemason Island L Šandelūro įl., JAV (Luiziana) …   Pasaulio vietovardžiai. Internetinė duomenų bazė

  • Freemason — noun Date: 1646 a member of a major fraternal organization called Free and Accepted Masons or Ancient Free and Accepted Masons that has certain secret rituals …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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