† termagen.
Obsolete.
1. slang. Winnings from dishonest gambling, esp. money won by cheating at bowls.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > games of chance > [noun] > winnings
termage1591
1591 R. Greene Second Pt. Conny-catching sig. Bv In Vincents Law [sc. Coosenage at Bowls]... He that is coosend, the Vincent. Gaines gotten, Termage.
1608 T. Dekker Belman of London (new ed.) sig. G The Bankers and ye Gripes, who at night meete in some Tauerne, and share the money gotten by this base meanes, which money they call Termage.
2. Law. Money paid each term (term n. 4a) by or to a lawyer for any of various reasons. Frequently in plural.
ΚΠ
1701 R. Gardiner Enchiridion Clericale 171 At the end of every Term..to pay..Termage or a Term Fee.
1757 Attorney's Pract. Epitomiz'd (ed. 8) 15 Pay nothing, unless in Arrear for Termages.
1798 Rep. Comm. House of Commons (1803) XIII. 299 (table) Termages received from the Prothonotaries.
1899 A. H. Beavan J. & H. Smith i. 11 Mr. Popham undertook to teach him the law, and so long as he abode with him, and was in his actual service, to pay him each term one guinea as ‘termage’, or term fee.
Compounds
termage fee n. Law money paid each term (term n. 4a) by or to a lawyer; = sense 2; cf. term fee n. at term n. Compounds 4.
ΚΠ
1823 Observer 8 June 3 (headline) Termage fees.—Important to attornies.
1834 Morning Chron. 26 Nov. 1/6 Inconveniencies having arisen from attornies..having neglected to pay their termage fees of 8d.,..it was ordered that in future every attorney should do so before the first day of Easter Term.
1849 Rep. Select Comm. Fees in Courts of Law & Equity 9 (table) in Parl. Papers (H.C. 559) VIII. 289 Termage fees,..paid by the secretary; 1l. 1s. per term.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2017; most recently modified version published online September 2020).
<
n.1591