Adjacent Words

Liege widowhood definitions

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Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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. She looked as grand as doomsday and as grave; And he, he reverenced his liege lady there. --Tennyson. 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. 3. (Old Law) Full; perfect; complete; pure. --Burrill. 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.]