liege homage

1 definition found

liege homage - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Liege \Liege\ (l[=e]j), a. [OE. lige, lege, F. lige, LL. ligius,
     legius, liege, unlimited, complete, prob. of German origin;
     cf. G. ledig free from bonds and obstacles, MHG. ledec,
     ledic, lidic, freed, loosed, and Charta Ottonis de Benthem,
     ann. 1253, "ligius homo quod Teutonic[`e] dicitur ledigman,"
     i. e., uni soli homagio obligatus, free from all obligations
     to others; influenced by L. ligare to bind. G. ledig perh.
     orig. meant, free to go where one pleases, and is perh. akin
     to E. lead to conduct. Cf. Lead to guide.]
     1. Sovereign; independent; having authority or right to
        allegiance; as, a liege lord. --Chaucer.
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              She looked as grand as doomsday and as grave;
              And he, he reverenced his liege lady there.
                                                    --Tennyson.
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     2. serving an independent sovereign or master; bound by a
        feudal tenure; obliged to be faithful and loyal to a
        superior, as a vassal to his lord; faithful; loyal; as, a
        liege man; a liege subject.
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     3. (Old Law) Full; perfect; complete; pure. --Burrill.
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     Liege homage (Feudal Custom), that homage of one sovereign
        or prince to another which acknowledged an obligation of
        fealty and services.
  
     Liege poustie [L. legitima potestas] (Scots Law), perfect,
        i. e., legal, power; specif., having health requisite to
        do legal acts.
  
     Liege widowhood, perfect, i. e., pure, widowhood. [Obs.]
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