malikn.

1614 J. Dodsworth Jrnl. 30 Sept. in W. Foster Voy. N. Downton (1939) 81 By directions from Mallacamber [i.e. Malik Ambar], Generall of the Forces of the Deccans, he was to intrete all such Englishe passinge alongst the coaste to anckor.]

1662 J. Davies tr. A. Olearius Voy. & Trav. Ambassadors 247 We came to..Sengoa, where we found a Melik, or Receiver general of the whole Province of Chaleal.

1815 M. Elphinstone Acct. Kingdom Caubul ii. ii. 167 All criminal trials are conducted before a Jeerga, which is composed of Khauns, Mulliks, or elders.

1855 H. H. Wilson Gloss. Judicial & Revenue Terms India 325/1 Málik,..a master, an owner,..or a person having a beneficial and hereditary interest in the revenue paid by the cultivators, and responsible to the government for its share; hence considered applicable, in Bengal, to Zamindárs, and in the north-west provinces to the head man of a village.

1897 Daily News 14 June 5/7 Two maliks were sent ahead by him to Maizar.

1901 Scotsman 11 Mar. 9/1 Government has been giving a good round sum to the Maliks yearly.

1920 Blackwood's Mag. Nov. 669/1 Each hilla, or village, has its sheik, each group of hillas is under a melik.

1955 Times 28 May 5/1 Many of the Afridi maliks, or tribal leaders..protested their loyalty to Pakistan.

1978 E. Behr Anyone here been raped & speaks Eng.? (1981) 50 They [sc. British Political Agents] went from malik to malik, assuring them that the subsidies would continue after the end of British rule.