attorn, v. Law.
(əˈtɜːn)
Forms: 5–7 attourne, 6–7 -urne, -orne, 7 -urn, 6– attorn.
[a. OF. atorne-r, aturne-r, atourne-r (whence law Latin attornāre) to turn, turn to, assign, attribute, dispose, arrange, order, appoint, constitute, ordain, decree, f. à to + tourner to turn. The analogical spelling is a(t)turn; but under the influence of med.L. attornāre, the late AF. became attorner, whence attorn passed into the Eng. law-books.]
1. trans. To turn over to another; to assign, transfer (goods, tenants' service, allegiance, etc.).
| [1292 Britton II. 46 Ne voloms nous mie qe seignur puse attourner le homage et le service de soen tenaunt a qi qe ly plera.] 1649 Sadler Rights Kingd. 16 (T.) In some case a lord might atturn and assign his vassal's service to some other. 1676 Marvell Wks. III. 147 A good Christian..cannot atturn and indenture his conscience over, to be represented by others. 1691 Bp. St. Asaph God's Transf. Power i. i. §44 This being follow'd by the People's attorning their Allegiance. 1727 Cowell's Interpr. s.v., To Attorn or turn over Money and Goods: i.e. to assign or appropriate them. 1865 Nichols Britton II. 46. |
2. intr. (for refl.) In Feudal Law: To transfer oneself (i.e. one's homage and allegiance) from one lord to another; to yield allegiance, or do homage to, as lord. Also fig.
| 1611 Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. ix. xiii. 94 The Gascoignes..had sent into England to shew causes why they should not atturne to the Duke. 1650 B. Discollim. 13 Shall they do honestly to atturn, and do homage and fealty without a legall Salvo? 1863 Possibilities of Creat. 370 How sottish the soul would become were it required to attorn to the Devil. 1883 Healy in Pall Mall G. 28 Dec. 1/2 Mr. Parnell..has shown an undisguised contempt for every effort to compel him to attorn to British opinion. |
3. Mod. Law. To agree formally to be the tenant of one into whose possession the estate has passed; to do some act which constitutes a legal acknowledgement of the new landlord.
| 1458 Lease in Ld. Campbell Chancellors (1857) I. xxii. 322 The said Joyes hath attourned to the said Sir John. 1574 tr. Littleton's Tenures 110 a, The more common attournement is to saye, sir I attorne to you by force of the same graunt, or I become your tenant, etc. 1628 Coke On Litt. 27 b, Hee shall not be compelled to atturne. 1853 Wharton Pa. Digest II. 161 Tenant who attorns under mistake may defend against lessor. 1879 Echo 12 Apr. 3/3 The defendant..had never recognised the plaintiff as his landlord, and never ‘attorned’ to the tenancy. |
b. So to attorn tenant.
| 1844 Williams Real Prop. Law (1877) 247 He could refuse to attorn tenant to the purchaser. 1871 Daily News 23 May, Notice is given to the tenantry not to attorn tenant or pay rent to any person except Mr. Richard Wallace. |