retinue, n.
(ˈrɛtɪnjuː)
Forms: 4–5 retenu (5 -w), 4–6 retenue, 5– retinue (6 retyn-); 4–5 retenewe (5 -ev, -ew, reteignew), 5–6 retynew(e, 5–7 retinew (6 -ewe).
[a. OF. retenue, fem. of retenu, pa. pple. of retenir to retain. In French the word has been current in a number of meanings which have not been adopted in English. The usual stressing in the 16–18th centuries appears to have been reˈtinue.
The forms reten, retene, which appear in a few instances in ME. texts, are probably due to scribal misreadings of retenu(e as retenn(e.]
† 1. The fact of being retained in the service of another; a relationship of service or dependency.
| 1390 Gower Conf. I. 86 This is a wonder retenue, That malgre wher sche wole or non Min herte is everemore in on. Ibid. 318 That I scholde will remue And put him out of retenue. 1488–9 Act 4 Hen. VII, c. 4 Yf eny persone..reteyned in the seid arme or viage resorte..yn to this reame discharged of the seid retinue arme and viage. 1535 Act 27 Hen. VIII, c. 14 §6 Any captaine of any shippe in the time of warre, being in the retinue and seruice of the kinges highnes. 1606 Holland Sueton. 44 The Bononians also..were dependantes of the Antonii and in there retinue and protection. 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1658) 557 Never rising against them, but proud of their dependence and retinue. |
† b. of retinue, in service.
Obs.| c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xl. (Ninian) 1103 Ymang vthire ane þar wes þat of retenu wes..of þat land til a mychtty man. c 1386 Chaucer Knt.'s T. 2502 Knyghtes of retenu, and eek squieres. 1390 Gower Conf. III. 351 So that Danger, which stant of retenue With my ladi, his place mai remue. |
† c. to make (one's) retinue, to take service
with one; to do service.
Obs. rare.
| 1390 Gower Conf. II. 111 But Slowthe, which is evele affaited, With Slep hath mad his retenue. 1415 Sir T. Grey in Rep. Deputy Keeper Rec. (1882) 583 Quen I hade made my retenu withe ȝow at Waleyway ye tyme of yat retenu makyng. 1444 Reg. Mag. Sig. (1882) 63/2 Service till us to be done as is contenit in the lettrez of retenew till us maid. |
† 2. at (one's) retinue, at (one's) service or command.
Obs.| c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 348 [If the king] hiȝt þee greet eritage to be at hijs retenu & serue hym treuly. c 1386 Chaucer Friar's T. 1355 He hadde eek wenches at his retenue. c 1400 Brut ccxxii, Þe same ȝer þat þe Mortymer was taken, he hade at his retynu ix [score] knyghtz. c 1412 Hoccleve De Reg. Princ. 652 Ryght nyce girles at my retenue Hadde I an heep. |
† b. to make a retinue, to keep retainers.
to have retinue, to have the services
of one.
Obs.| 1399 Rolls of Parlt. III. 452/1 That thei..gyf no Liverees of Sygnes, no make no Retenue of men bot of Officers necessaries wythin her Household. 1487 Act 3 Hen. VII, c. 15 §1 By the unlawfull reteyners and retinews made..by the seid Officers. 1490 Act 7 Hen. VII, c. 1 §1 Every Capteyn..and all other havyng under them retynue of any Soldeour or Soldeours atte the Kinges Wages. |
3. A number or company of persons retained in the service of some one, or attached to and following one,
esp. a sovereign, noble, or person in authority; a train or suite.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce xv. 429 His retennew than gaderit he, That war gud men of gret bounte. 1390 Gower Conf. III. 222 To make of suche his retenue Whiche wise ben, and to remue The foles. 1422 tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 127 Alexander..passyd wyth his retenue towarde..Inde. 1472–3 Rolls of Parlt. VI. 58/1 Other persones beyng in the said Tresorer's of Calice retenue. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 7 The damned spirytes in hell, with all theyr adherentes, retynue & seruauntes. 1595 Spenser Col. Clout 460 So many Nymphs, which she doth hold In her retinew. 1603 Knolles Hist. Turks (1638) 58 Hauing sent away his army, and trauelling with his ordinary retinue to Tiberias. 1662 Evelyn Chalcogr. Table, Painters chiefe of the court and retinue to the Emperour of Japan. 1691 Wood Ath. Oxon. II. 793 His Majesty..and their royal Highnesses went from their Lodgings with their respective Retinews. 1748 Anson's Voy. iii. ix. 515 Three Mandarines, with..a vast retinue, came on board the Centurion. 1791 Mrs. Radcliffe Rom. Forest vi, The Marquis passed on to the hall, where his retinue awaited. 1840 Thirlwall Greece lviii. VII. 285 Philip was immediately taken with all his retinue. 1877 Froude Short Stud. (1883) IV. i. iv. 49 The hall was thronged with the retinues of the King and the barons. |
| transf. 1597 Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, iv. iii. 121 Their Captaine, the Heart,..pufft vp with his Retinue, doth any Deed of Courage. 1642 H. More Song of Soul ii. App. lvii. Wks. (Grosart) 96 For right it is that none a sun debarre Of Planets, which his just and due retinue are. 1685 Dryden Thren. August. 507 There appears The long Retinue of a Prosperous Reign, A Series of successful Years. a 1740 Waterland Diss. Argt. A priori iii. Wks. 1823 IV. 467 This whole train of suppositions, or assertions, brought in as part of the retinue to wait upon the argument a priori. 1850 Mrs. Browning Crowned & Wedded iii, While loving hopes, for retinues, about her sweetness wait. |
b. Const.
of (the persons, etc., composing it).
| 1592 tr. Junius on Rev. xiv. 1 The standing of the lambe with his army and retinue of men. 1667 Milton P.L. v. 355 The tedious pomp that waits On Princes, when thir rich Retinue long Of Horses led..Dazles the croud. 1770 Langhorne Plutarch (1879) I. 115/1 He always had about him..a numerous retinue of servants. 1878 Stubbs Const. Hist. III. xxi. 538 The barons kept an enormous retinue of officers and servants. |
c. Collectively, without article or pronoun.
| a 1665 Earl of Marlborough Warn. Careless World 13 He..had..multitudes of Attendants and Retinue of all sexes. 1665 Glanvill Scepsis Sci. xviii. 109 Worth is not to be judg'd by Success, and Retinue. a 1729 Rogers Serm. (J.), Neither pomp nor retinue shall be able to divert the great, nor shall the rich be relieved by the multitude of his treasurers. 1847 Tennyson Princ. iii. 179 To horse we got, and so Went forth in long retinue following up The river. 1863 Longfellow Wayside Inn, Robt. Sicily 4 With retinue of many a knight and squire. |
† 4. a. The act of retaining or keeping.
rare.
| 1489 Caxton Faytes of A. i. xii, Comyssaryes that gode hede shal take that for couetyse of the payement of the souldyours noo decepcion be made by retenue of suche that be vnable. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VIII, 145 All the men of warre, that were aboute the retinue of Calice..and Guysnes, wer called home. |
† b. The limits or bounds of a town.
Obs.| 1535–6 Act 27 Hen. VIII, c. 63 Ye shall not..admytte any persoune..into eny rowme within the retynue of the said Towne belongyng to your admyssion. |
† c. Restraint; restraining force.
Obs. rare—1.
| 1651 tr. De-las-Coveras' Don Fenise 133 There is no retinue nor limits to a woman that suffers herself to be blinded with that foolish passion. |
† 5. Tenor, purport.
Obs. rare—1.
| 1484 in Lett. Rich. III & Hen. VII (Rolls) I. 77 Two other lettres of the same reteignew. |
Hence
ˈretinue v. trans., to furnish with a retinue; to accompany as a retinue.
| 1827 Pollok Course T. vii. (1860) 189 A chosen number, brought, to retinue His great ascent on high. 1883 J. G. Butler Bible Work II. 186 Along the great Appian Way, retinued by this humble band of Christian disciples. |