Liege widowhood

Liege widowhood
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. [1913 Webster]

She looked as grand as doomsday and as grave; And he, he reverenced his liege lady there. --Tennyson. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

3. (Old Law) Full; perfect; complete; pure. --Burrill. [1913 Webster]

{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.] [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • 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… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Liege homage — 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.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Liege poustie — 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.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • liege — In feudal law, bound by a feudal tenure; bound in allegiance to the lord paramount, who owned no superior. The term was applied to the lord, or liege lord, to whom allegiance was due, since he was bound to protection and a just government, and… …   Black's law dictionary

  • liege — In feudal law, bound by a feudal tenure; bound in allegiance to the lord paramount, who owned no superior. The term was applied to the lord, or liege lord, to whom allegiance was due, since he was bound to protection and a just government, and… …   Black's law dictionary

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