curtesies — n. husband s right to inherit his wife s property after her death … English contemporary dictionary
curtesy — ˈkərd.əsē noun or curtesy initiate (plural curtesies or curtesies initiate) Etymology: Middle English curtasy, curteisie, corteisie curtesy, courteous behavior more at courtesy : the future … Useful english dictionary
Curtesy — Cur te*sy (k?r t? s?), n.; pl. {Curtesies} ( s?z). [Either fr. courlesy, the lands being held as it were by favor; or fr. court (LL. curtis), the husband being regarded as holding the lands as a vassal of the court. See {Court}, {Courtesy}.]… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
curtesy — [kʉrt′ə sē] n. pl. curtesies 〚var. of COURTESY〛 the life interest which a husband acquires in the lands of his wife upon her death, provided they have children capable of inheriting: curtesy has been altered or abolished by statute in many U.S.… … Universalium
curtesy — /ˈkɜtəsi/ (say kertuhsee) noun (plural curtesies) the life tenure formerly enjoyed by a husband in his wife s land inheritance after her death, provided they had issue able to inherit: a tenancy by the curtesy. {variant of courtesy} …
curtesy — [kʉrt′ə sē] n. pl. curtesies [var. of COURTESY] the life interest which a husband acquires in the lands of his wife upon her death, provided they have children capable of inheriting: curtesy has been altered or abolished by statute in many U.S.… … English World dictionary
