squireship
(ˈskwaɪəʃɪp)
[f. squire n. + -ship. Cf. esquireship.]
1. The state, position, or dignity of a squire or esquire; squirehood.
| 1613 Overbury Charact., Common Lawyer Wks. (1856) 85 Then he begins to sticke his letters in his ground chamber-window; so that the superscription may make his squire-ship transparent. 1620 Shelton Quix. ii. iv. xxv, What profit hast thou reaped by this thy Squireship? 1698 Farquhar Love & a Bottle v. iii, I had only a mind to convince you of your squireship. 1730 Swift Lett. Wks. 1841 II. 633 By the terror of squireship frighting my agent to take what you graciously thought fit to give. 1799 Spirit Pub. Jrnls. III. 279 Is not this enough to sicken us of Squireship. 1868 Lanier Poems, Jacquerie ii. 137 Thou art first Squire to that most puissant knight, Lord Satan, who thy faithful squireship long Hath watched. |
b. The estate of a squire.
| 1824 R. Pollok in D. Pollok Life 236 He was more like an heir to a country squireship than a student in theology. |
2. The personality of a squire. Chiefly with possessive pronouns.
| 1786 Burns On dining with Ld. Daer ii, When mighty Squireships of the quorum, Their hydra-drouth did sloken! 1828 Scott F.M. Perth xxiv, And now, Buncle,..your valiant squireship knows your charge. 1882 Pall Mall G. 15 July 6/1 The waggonette of Squire Calthorpe..is driven up, bearing his squireship's butler, gardener, and groom. |