liege man, ˈliegeman
1. Feudal Law. A vassal sworn to the service and support of his superior lord, who in return was obliged to afford him protection, etc.
| c 1350 Will. Palerne 2663 Lordinges ȝe ben my lege men þat gode ben & trewe. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VII. 285 Kyng William wente into Scotland..and kyng Malcolyn bycam his leege man, and swoor hym homage and fewte. ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 1768 Alle his lele lige mene. 1420 H. Stafford in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. iv. I. 66 The kyngys liche men..han y fetaylid hym well and nothyng vs. 1494 Fabyan Chron. v. cxxv. 105 They wolde become his liege⁓men, and holde theyr lande of hym for euer. 1523 Fitzherb. Bk. Surv. 20 b, I shall true liegeman be and true faythe beare to kyng Henry..and to his heyres. 1579 J. Stubbes Gaping Gulf F iij b, A true Englishman, a sworne liegeman to hir Maiestie. 1612 Davies Why Ireland, etc. (1787) 109 If the Irish were receiued into the King's protection, and made liege men and free subjects. 1692 Washington tr. Milton's Def. Pop. viii. (1851) 189 They swear therefore to William, to be his Liege-men. 1813 Scott Trierm. ii. vi, When Arthur..Spoke of his liegemen and his throne. 1839 Keightley Hist. Eng. I. 35 The princes of Cornwall, Wales, Cumbria and Strath-clyde became his liege men. 1855 Milman Lat. Chr. vii. ii. (1864) IV. 88 Building fortresses to reduce his freeborn liege men to slavery. |
2. transf. and fig. One who serves as though sworn to do so, a faithful follower or subject.
| 1823 Scott Peveril xvii, A faithful liegeman to the law as well as the King. 1827 Keble Chr. Y. 1 Sunday Advent ii, Sworn liegemen of the Cross. 1862 Merivale Rom. Emp. (1865) III. xxiv. 98 Liegemen of Death and fares of the Stygian ferryman. 1864 Burton Scot Abr. I. v. 259 When the dispute lay between the liegemen of the university and those of the state the university haughtily arrogated the authority over both. 1865 Parkman Huguenots vii. (1875) 89 The trespassers, too, were heretics, foes of God and liegemen of the Devil. 1876 Bancroft Hist. U.S. I. iii. 86 Raleigh..sent..at five several times, to search for his liege-men. |
Hence † ˈliegemanship.
| 1611 Cotgr., Lige, allegiance, or liegemanship. |