lieutenant
(lɛf-, lɪfˈtɛnənt, U.S. ljuːˈtɛnənt)
Forms: α. 4–5 lutenand, -a(u)nt; 5 leu(e)-, leuȝ-, lyeu-, 5–7 lieu-, 6 lyue-, liue-, lieue-, leaue-, lew-, 7 leiu-; 4–7 -tenante, -aunt, 5–6 -aunte, 5–7 -ant, 6–7 -ent, -tennent, -ante; 6 Sc. lewtennand, 4– lieutenant. β. 4 leef-, 4–5 leyf-, lyef-, 4–6 leve-, 5–6 lyff(e-, 5–8 lief-, 6 lefe-, lyffe-, lyve-, lieuf-, 6– 7 live-, liefe-, leive-, leif-, 7 liev-, life-, + second element as in α; 5 luf-tenand, luff tenande, 6 leftenaunt, -tennant, -tenant.
[a. F. lieutenant, f. lieu place + tenant holding (see tenant); cf. locum tenens.
The origin of the βtype of forms (which survives in the usual British pronunciation, though the spelling represents the αtype) is difficult to explain. The hypothesis of a mere misinterpretation of the graphic form (u read as v), at first sight plausible, does not accord with the facts. In view of the rare OF. form luef for lieu (with which cf. esp. the 15th c. Sc. forms luf-, lufftenand above) it seems likely that the labial glide at the end of OF. lieu as the first element of a compound was sometimes apprehended by Englishmen as a v or f. Possibly some of the forms may be due to association with leave n.1 or lief a.
In 1793 Walker gives the actual pronunciations as (lɛv-, lɪvˈtɛnənt), but expresses the hope that ‘the regular sound, lewtenant’ will in time become current. In England this pronunciation (ljuːˈtɛnənt) is almost unknown. A newspaper quot. of 1893 in Funk's Standard Dictionary says that (lɛfˈtɛnənt) is in the U.S. ‘almost confined to the retired list of the navy’.]
1. a. One who takes the place of another; usually, an officer civil or military who acts for a superior; a representative, substitute, vicegerent.
| c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xxxi. (Eugenia) 40 To quham..þe hale senat gef þe cure of Alysandir þe cyte þar lutenand þar-of to be. 1375 Barbour Bruce [MS. 1489] xiv. 139 Schir Richard of Clare, That..luf-tenand Was off the king of Yngland. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VIII. 143 Hubert archebisshop of Caunterbury was leeftenaunt [v.rr. lutenant, levetenaunt] of þe pope and of the kyng of Engelond. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 73, I his grace have so poursuied, That I was mad his lieutenant. 14.. Lydg. & Burgh Secrees 2194 Oon singuler man to make thy leyf tenaunt, To the ne thyne is not avayllable. 1480 Caxton Chron. Eng. ccli. (1482) 322 He beyng that tyme lyeutenaunt of the kyng in Normandye. c 1500 Melusine lxii. 369 Sersuell..held the said Fortres as lieuftenaunt & Captayne there for the kyng of England. 1534 Act 26 Hen. VIII, c. 4 §1 Any Justiciar, Steward, Lieuetenaunte, or other officer within wales or the marches of the same. 1552 Lyndesay Monarche 4271 To Christe he [the Pope] is gret Lewtennand. 1583 Stubbes Anat. Abus. ii. (1882) 106 They are his Liefetenants, his vicegerents in his Church. 1610 Shakes. Temp. iii. ii. 20 By this light thou shalt bee my Lieutenant Monster, or my Standard. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. (1839) 400 God was king, and the high-priest was to be, after the death of Moses, his sole viceroy or lieutenant. 1703 J. Logan in Pa. Hist. Soc. Mem. IX. 192 It will be extremely necessary to procure a lieutenant for some time at least in thy interest. 1788 Gibbon Decl. & F. (1869) III. lxvii. 698 His lieutenants were permitted to negociate a truce. 1845 S. Austin Ranke's Hist. Ref. III. 231 Though called king, he was in fact only a lieutenant of the sultan. 1869 Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) III. xi. 49 He had the trustiest of lieutenants in his brothers. |
† b. fig. (Now not used, on account of the specific associations of the word.)
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xvi. 47 Ac liberum arbitrium letteth hym some tyme, Þat is lieutenant to loken it wel by leue of myselue. c 1425 Lydg. Assembly of Gods 1254 Then made Vertu Reson hys lyeftenaunt. 1461 Liber Pluscardensis xi. viii, He [God] maid Natur to be his luff tenande. a 1586 Sidney Arcadia iii. (1633) 303 Where..Fore-sight, with his Lievtenant Resolution, had made readie defence. 1621 Quarles Argalus & P. (1678) 110 Parthenia (whose tears Are turn'd Lieutenants to her tongue). a 1708 Beveridge Thes. Theol. (1711) III. 241 The Holy Ghost, Christ's Lieutenant, that supplies the place of the absent Captain. |
c. As a formal title of office, usually with defining phrase indicating the object or locality of delegated command, as in
Lieutenant of the Tower (of London), the acting commandant delegated by the Constable;
Lieutenant of Ireland,
lieutenant of a county (now always
Lord-lieutenant), and in various other designations now only
Hist.| 1423 Rolls of Parlt. IV. 198/2 He beyng the Kynges Lieutenaunt in the said Londe [of Ireland]. 1454 Ibid. V. 240/2 The Duk of York, the Kynges Lieutenant of his Parlement. 1481 Caxton Myrr. iii. xxiv. 192 Lieutenaunt of the toun of Calays. 1495 Act 11 Hen. VII, c. 35 Preamble, His Lyeutenaunte of Ireland and Gardeyn of the..Marches. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. ix. 206 Henrie Stuart, quhom the king..maid leauetennant of the gret Gunis. 1596 Sir J. Smythe in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden) 89 Mr. Leivetenant of the Tower. a 1604 Hanmer Chron. Irel. (1633) 140 Whereupon he made Reimond Lievetenant of the forces. a 1613 Overbury A Wife (1638) 187 He doe's not feare the Lieutenant o' th' Shire. c 1667 Cotton in N. & Q. 9th Ser. VIII. 41/1, I am through his Magestyes gratyouse Favor lieutennant off y⊇ Forrest. 1679 Wood Life 30 Apr., He was lieftenant of the ordinance. 1702 Lond. Gaz. No. 3810/8 Her Majesty has been pleased to appoint Sir George Rooke..Lieutenant of the Navies and Seas of this Kingdom. 1864 Burton Scot Abr. I. ii. 61 King Robert III had a younger brother Alexander, who was made lieutenant of the northern part of the kingdom. |
† d. Used as an equivalent for L.
legatus,
proconsul,
suffectus,
Gr. ἡγεµών.
Obs.| 1388 Wyclif 2 Macc. iv. 31 Suffectus..ether lutenaunt. 1526 Tindale Luke ii. 2 Syrenus was leftenaunt in Siria. 1553 Eden Treat. Newe Ind. (Arb.) 9 Metellus celer, pro⁓consull or leauetenaunte of Fraunce. 1557 N. T. (Genev.) Luke iii. 1 Lieutenant of Jurie. 1636 E. Dacres tr. Machiavel's Disc. Livy II. 639 Fulvius remaining Lieftenant in the army..for that the Consull was gon to Rome. 1658 Sir T. Browne Hydriot. i. (1736) 9 A great Overthrow was given unto the Iceni by the Roman Lieutenant Ostorius. 1741 Middleton Cicero I. vi. 408 The whole administration of the corn and provisions of the Republic was to be granted to Pompey for five years, with a power of chusing fifteen Lieutenants to assist him in it. |
† e. (See
quot.)
Obs.| 1654 H. L'Estrange Chas. I (1655) 72 That Christmas the Temple Sparks had enstalled a Lieutenant, a thing we Country folk call a Lord of Misrule. |
2. Mil. and
Naval. (As a prefixed title, often abbreviated
Lieut., and in combs.
Lt.)
a. In the army: The officer next in rank to the captain.
† Also in
captain-lieutenant (see
quot. 1727–51;
cf. lieutenant captain in 3).
b. In the navy: The officer next in rank and power below the commander.
† Also
lieutenant at arms (see
quot. 1769).
| a. 1578 T. N. tr. Conq. W. India 1 Who in his youth applied himselfe to the warres, and was lieutenant to a companie of horsemen. 1642 Althorp MS. in Simpkinson Washington (1860) p. lxxxii, To liefetennant Scotts horse of oates j. pecke. 1647 Clarendon Hist. Reb. i. §52 A lievtenant of a foot company. 1653 Baxter Chr. Concord 82 The Lieutenant of the Troop..needs no new Commission. 1727–51 Chambers Cycl. s.v. Captain, Captain-lieutenant is he who commands a troop, or company, in the name and place of some other person, who has the commission, with the title, honour, and pay thereof; but is dispensed withal, on account of his quality, from performing the functions of his post. 1844 Regul. & Ord. Army 3 Second Lieutenants take rank of Cornets and Ensigns. 1876 Voyle & Stevenson Milit. Dict. (ed. 3) s.v., In the footguards 24 of the lieutenants have the rank of captain in the army, and are called lieutenants and captains. |
| b. 1626 Capt. Smith Accid. Yng. Sea-men 6 The Lieutenant is to associate the Captaine, and in his absence to execute his place. 1757 Smollett Reprisal ii. ix, Lieftenant Lyon commands a tender of twelve guns. 1769 Falconer Dict. Marine (1780) Z 4 b, The youngest lieutenant of the ship, who is also stiled lieutenant at arms,..is particularly ordered..to train the seamen to the use of small arms. 1833 Marryat P. Simple xxi, The Admiralty..had..promoted him to the rank of lieutenant. |
c. An officer in the Salvation Army.
| 1884 [see captain n. 5 b]. c 1897 A. E. Housman Lett. (1971) 45 Lieutenant Isabella..comes Dealing blows with her umbrella. 1970 Guardian 2 May 10/4, I love the Salvation Army through which I found my Saviour... Yours faithfully, Lars Juhlin. Lieutenant. |
3. attrib. and in
Comb., signifying generally one who acts as deputy to the superior officer designated, as in
† lieutenant-admiral (in the Dutch navy),
lieutenant-bailiff (in Guernsey),
† lieutenant-fire-worker;
† lieutenant-captain (see
quot.);
lieutenant-colonel, an army officer of rank next below that of a colonel, having the actual command of a regiment; hence
lieutenant-colonelcy, the office or rank of lieutenant-colonel;
lieutenant-commander, a naval officer who is in rank next below a commander and next above a lieutenant;
lieutenant-governor, the deputy of a governor,
esp. (
a) in the British colonies, the actual governor of a district or province in subordination to a governor-general; (
b) in the United States, the deputy-governor of a state with certain independent duties and the right of succession to the governorship, in case of its becoming vacant; hence
† lieutenant-governancy,
lieutenant-governorship, (
a) the office of a lieutenant-governor; (
b) the province under his government;
† lieutenant-prætor = L.
proprætor. Also
lieutenant-general.
| 1693 Lond. Gaz. No. 2867/3 On Sunday last *Lieutenant Admiral Allemond passed by Dover with 4 great Dutch Men of War. |
| 1682 Warburton Hist. Guernsey (1822) 49 The Bailiff..is the chief judge of the royal court; his office may be executed by deputy, who is called the *lieutenant-bailiff. |
| 1727–51 Chambers Cycl. s.v. Captain, *Lieutenant-Captain is the captain's second; or the officer who commands the company under the captain, and in his absence... In some companies, &c. he is also called Captain-lieutenant. |
| 1598 B. Jonson Ev. Man in Hum. iii. v, He might haue beene Serieant-Maior, if not *Lieutenant-Coronell to the regiment. 1707 Vulpone 8 Collonels, Lieutenant Collonels, Majors, Captains. 1876 Bancroft Hist. U.S. V. xix. 549 The subject was referred on the part of Howe to Lieutenant-colonel Walcott. |
| 1797 Nelson in Nicolas Disp. (1845) II. 446 Your good father tells me you are in great hopes of the *Lieutenant-Colonelcy. 1842 Thackeray Fitz-Boodle Papers Pref. (1887) 14 His papa would have purchased him..a lieutenant-colonelcy. |
| 1878 N. Amer. Rev. CXXVII. 224 *Lieutenant-Commander J. G. Walker had been sent in the iron-clad Baron de Kalb. |
| 1800 Asiatic Ann. Reg., Char. 51/2 Mr. Harris was soon after appointed a *Lieutenant Fire-worker. |
| 1595 T. Maynarde Drake's Voy. (Hakluyt Soc.) 13 The *Leiftenant-governor and some others were taken prisoners. 1707 Lond. Gaz. No. 4341/3 Colonel Richard Sutton is made Lieutenant-Governor of Hull. 1849 Cobden Speeches 72 If we take the case of our North American colonies: we have five colonial and five lieutenant-governors. 1880 V. Ball Jungle Life India i. 47 The official residence of the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal. |
| 1784 Laura & Augustus (1794) II. 50 *Lieutenant Governancy. |
| 1745 Observ. conc. Navy 44 Many have either had Governments or *Lieutenant-Governorships. 1886 Athenæum 24 Apr. 556/1 The Reports on Public Instruction in Bengal and the North-Western Provinces..show considerable difference in the state of education in the two lieutenant-governorships. |
| 1618 Bolton Florus ii. xiii. (1636) 130 Anicius, *Lieutenant-Praetor, subdued them in an instant. |
______________________________
Add:
[2.] d. A police officer next in rank below a captain; also, a senior prison officer. Chiefly
U.S.| 1907 Daily Chron. 11 Apr. 3/5 [In Glasgow] when a prisoner was brought into a police station the lieutenant on duty would not accept the charge..unless [etc.]. 1909 L. F. Fuld Police Admin. ii. 58 In Boston, St. Louis, Baltimore, and a few other cities,..provision has been made for a lieutenant of police. Such lieutenants of police exercise all the powers and discharge all of the duties of captains, in the event of the sickness or absence of the latter. 1940 B. Smith Police Syst. in U.S. vii. 256 In the small force..which consists of one lieutenant, one sergeant, and nine patrolmen, subdivision by levels of activities has not been carrried far. 1942 Handbk. Amer. Prisons & Reformatories (ed. 5) ii. 8 Promotion to the rank of lieutenant is made only from the senior officer's group. 1965 G. Jackson Let. June in Soledad Brother (1970) 63, I talk to fewer convicts every day. Just one lieutenant here has tried to do anything for me. 1985 E. Kuzwayo Call me Woman ii. xiv. 207, I asked the prison lieutenant to phone a woman doctor friend of mine. |
e. The title, until 1966, of an assistant to the captain of a company of Girl Guides (subsequently officially called an Assistant Guide Leader).
| 1909 R. Baden-Powell Girl Guides: Suggestion for Character Training (Pamphlet A) 6 The unit for work or play is the ‘Patrol’ of eight girls, of whom one is ‘Patrol Leader’, another the ‘Corporal’. Three or more Patrols form a Company under a ‘Captain’ and a ‘Lieutenant’. 1932 R. Kerr Story of Girl Guides vi. 92 There is not much objection to ‘captain’, which is not exclusively military..; but there was at one time a great agitation against the term ‘lieutenant’. Suggestions were invited from the Movement, but no better name was sent in. 1966 Tomorrow's Guide (Girl Guides Assoc.) iii. 21 Guide Leader [and] Assistant Guide Leader..should be used instead of Captain and Lieutenant. We believe that the time has come to drop the terms Captain and Lieutenant which, when used in conjunction with each other, have a military sound. 1976 Norwich Mercury 10 Dec. 2/1 She is retiring from her post of Captain..and handing over to Mrs. Dianne Perrott—who..is her present lieutenant. |