| 释义 |
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.
c1350Will. Palerne 2663 Lordinges ȝe ben my lege men þat gode ben & trewe. 1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VII. 285 Kyng William wente into Scotland..and kyng Malcolyn bycam his leege man, and swoor hym homage and fewte. a1400Morte Arth. 1768 Alle his lele lige mene. 1420H. Stafford in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. iv. I. 66 The kyngys liche men..han y fetaylid hym well and nothyng vs. 1494Fabyan Chron. v. cxxv. 105 They wolde become his liege⁓men, and holde theyr lande of hym for euer. 1523Fitzherb. Bk. Surv. 20 b, I shall true liegeman be and true faythe beare to kyng Henry..and to his heyres. 1579J. Stubbes Gaping Gulf F iij b, A true Englishman, a sworne liegeman to hir Maiestie. 1612Davies Why Ireland, etc. (1787) 109 If the Irish were receiued into the King's protection, and made liege men and free subjects. 1692Washington tr. Milton's Def. Pop. viii. (1851) 189 They swear therefore to William, to be his Liege-men. 1813Scott Trierm. ii. vi, When Arthur..Spoke of his liegemen and his throne. 1839Keightley Hist. Eng. I. 35 The princes of Cornwall, Wales, Cumbria and Strath-clyde became his liege men. 1855Milman 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.
1823Scott Peveril xvii, A faithful liegeman to the law as well as the King. 1827Keble Chr. Y. 1 Sunday Advent ii, Sworn liegemen of the Cross. 1862Merivale Rom. Emp. (1865) III. xxiv. 98 Liegemen of Death and fares of the Stygian ferryman. 1864Burton 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. 1865Parkman Huguenots vii. (1875) 89 The trespassers, too, were heretics, foes of God and liegemen of the Devil. 1876Bancroft Hist. U.S. I. iii. 86 Raleigh..sent..at five several times, to search for his liege-men.
Hence † ˈliegemanship.
1611Cotgr., Lige, allegiance, or liegemanship. |