† esnen.
/ˈɛzniː/ Obsolete exc. Historical.
The Old English designation of a class of domestic slaves.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > subjection > service > servant > [noun]
esnec950
hindc1230
servant1340
servitor1419
ministrer?a1425
servera1425
myrona1450
obeisantc1475
servient1541
lout1567
squire1570
roguea1616
administer1677
minion1820
ancillary1867
sweater1900
society > authority > subjection > slavery or bondage > [noun] > slave
theowc893
thrallc950
young manOE
slavec1290
boyc1300
servanta1325
bondc1330
bondmana1340
manciplea1387
man's-bond?a1400
thrillc1480
thrillmanc1480
serf1483
bondservant1535
bondslave1561
bondling1587
slave-boy1607
slave-labourer1607
chattel1649
bondsman1713
livestock1755
esne1819
thirl-man1871
task-labourer1897
c950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. x. 24 Ne is ðegn ofer ðone laruu nec ðea vel esne ofer hlaferde his.
c975 Rushw. Gosp. John iv. 51 Esnas giurnon togægnes him.
1819 W. Scott Ivanhoe III. ii. 39 Theow and Esne art thou no longer.
1861 C. H. Pearson Early & Middle Ages Eng. 201 The..esnés or day-labourers, were the lowest.
1875 W. Stubbs Constit. Hist. (ed. 2) I. v. 78 The esne or slave who works for hire.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1891; most recently modified version published online June 2018).
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n.c950