| 释义 |
▪ I. liege, a. and n.|liːdʒ|
Forms: 3–5 lige, 4–5 lyge; 3–6 lege, (4 leyge), 4–6 leege, (5 lech(e, lyche, lysch; legge, ligge, lygge; lieg), 5–6 lyege, 5–7 leig(e, 6 leag(e, (leighe), 6 liedge, (7 leidge), 4– liege.
[a. OF. lige, liege (med.L. ligius, legius) = Pr. litge, It. ligio; the ultimate derivation is disputed.
The prevailing view that the word represents an adoption of OHG. ledig free (mod.G. ledig unoccupied) is supported by a passage in a charter of 1253 (Du Cange, s.v. Ledighman), which contains the words ‘ligius homo, quod Teutonice dicitur Ledigh-man’. The assumption of ‘free’ as the primary sense also seems in accord with the meaning of the med.L. ligia potestas (liege poustie), ligia voluntas.]
A. adj.
1. The characteristic epithet of persons in the relation of feudal superior and vassal.
a. Of the superior: Entitled to feudal allegiance and service. Now rare exc. in liege lord, which is also used fig.
[1292Britton iii. iv. §18 Si aucun deive fere homage a autre seignur lige qe a nous.] 1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 9376 Vr lige louerd þat yeled is And ismered to ihesu crist. 13..Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 346 Þat my leyge lady lyked not ille. 1386Rolls of Parlt. III. 225/1 Owre lige Lorde the Kyng. 1390Gower Conf. III. 144 Men schull don him reverence As to here liege soverein. 1422tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 248 Oure lyge lorde, kynge henry the Fyfte. 1481Caxton Reynard (Arb.) 30 Not so my liege lorde. 1549Latimer 1st Serm. bef. Edw. VI (Arb.) 30 It hath pleased God to graunt vs a naturall liege kynge and Lorde. c1620T. Robinson M. Magd. ii. 1566 Shee..followes her Liege-Lorde y⊇ villages throughout. 1770Junius Lett. xli. 209 You deserted the fortune of your liege lord. 1814Scott Ld. of Isles ii. xx. Who, vassals sworn, ‘Gainst their liege lord had weapon borne. 1844H. H. Wilson Brit. India I. 97 Originally a feudatory of Jaypur, the Raja had taken advantage of the enfeebled condition of his liege lord. 1865Kingsley Herew. xxi, That is the rule of our liege lord, William.
b. Of the vassal: Bound to render feudal service and allegiance. (Cf. liege man.) † Also, owing allegiance to (law).
13..E.E. Allit. P. B. 1174 Þe lawe þat he was lege tylle. 1362Langl. P. Pl. A. iv. 147 Al my lige leodes. c1380Wyclif Wks. (1880) 290 Kyngis schulde constreyne..here lyge freris & here oþere clerkis. 1470–85Malory Arthur ii. i, [They] brente and slewe the kynges true liege peple. 1538Wriothesley Chron. (1875) I. 80 A false traitor to his Praynce..and a seditious person to the kinges leighe people. 1577J. Northbrooke Dicing (1843) 137 They shoulde be arrested by the King's liege people as vagabondes. 1689S. Johnson Rem. Sherlock's Bk. 19 Every Leige-Subject of England has a Legal Property in his Life. 1823Scott Peveril xiii, I had..a right to call on every liege subject to render assistance. 1848Wharton Law Lex., Liege, bound by some feudal tenure; subject.
†c. transf. of persons in other relationships: Entitled and bound to mutual fidelity. Obs.
c1350Will. Palerne 4128, I schal loue him lelli as my lege broþer. c1555Philpot in Coverdale Lett. Mart. (1564) 236 The lyuyng lord, which..hath begotten you to be my liege syster, geue you grace so to grow in that generation, that [etc.].
¶d. Used for: Loyal, faithful. rare.
1478Certificate in Surtees Misc. (1888) 37 He is a trewe, lige Inglis man. 1890C. A. Ansell tr. A. da Montefeltro's Confer. in Rome 46 The materialist, liege to his own system, is incapable of doing anything but put one after another the results of his observations.
2. Of or pertaining to the bond between superior and vassal.
1399Rolls of Parlt. IV. 424/2 Homage liege and Feaute. 1750Carte Hist. Eng. II. 401 The French maintaining it was a lige homage. 1765Blackstone Comm. I. 367 Land held by this exalted species of fealty was called feudum ligium, a liege fee. 1818Hallam Mid. Ages (1872) I. 99 They..always refused to pay liege-homage, which implied an obligation of service to the lord.
B. n.
1. The superior to whom one owes feudal allegiance and service; = liege lord.
c1400Destr. Troy 134 Þe lege þat hom lede shuld. c1440Promp. Parv. 302/2 Lyche, lady or lorde,..ligius. 1513More Rich. III, Wks. 42/2 Ye my liege quod the Duke of Buckingham thei haue [etc.]. 1513Douglas æneis xii. Prol. 247 The larkis..Lovys thar lege with tonys curyus. 1590Spenser F.Q. ii. iii. 8 The Miser threw him selfe..Streight at his foot in base humilitee, And cleeped him his liege, to hold of him in fee. 1599Shakes. Much Ado i. i. 291 My Liege, your Highnesse now may doe mee good. 1609C. Butler Fem. Mon. v. (1623) L j, Shee..Most humbly begging in hir Dorik straines Of hir dear Liege leaue to be gone. 1637R. Humfrey tr. St. Ambrose ii. 41 He would not be profuse and prodigall of another mans good, much lesse of his Leiges. 1705J. Philips Blenheim 396 The Natives, dubious whom They must Obey, in Consternation wait, Till rigid Conquest will pronounce their Liege. 1706Addison Rosamond i. vi, Nay, good my Liege, with patience hear. 1785Paley Mor. Philos. (1818) I. 191 The form of doing homage at this day, by putting the hands between the knees, and within the hands of the liege. 1788Wolcot (P. Pindar) Peter's Pension Wks. 1812 II. 5 No less, my royal liege, than you and me. 1823Scott Peveril xlvi, ‘In the name of God, my liege,’ said the Duke of Ormond, ‘let’ [etc.]. 1837Browning Strafford ii. ii. 35 My liege, do not believe it! I am yours.
2. A vassal bound to serve his superior, a liege man. Hence in a wider sense: A loyal subject of the king.
1377Langl. P. Pl. B. xix. 56 Alle his lele lyges. 1390Gower Conf. I. 338 The kinges founde here oghne liege..That hem forsoke and desobeide. 1414Rolls of Parlt. IV. 22/2 Youre humble and trewe lieges that ben come for the Co[mmun]e of youre lond. c1440Promp. Parv. 303/1 Lyche, man or womann (P. ligius). 1450–80tr. Secreta Secret. 47 God almyȝty kepe oure kynge to ioye of his ligeys. c1470Henry Wallace ix. 533 Xxty thousand off lele legis off France. 1549Extracts Aberd. Reg. (1844) I. 271 Tha had offendit..to the quenis grace of Scotland, in the taking,..of the said William..he beand hir fre liege and subdict. 1648D. Jenkins Wks. Table, His Leidges are bound by Oath to remove the King. 1649Jer. Taylor Gt. Exemp. ii. Disc. xi. 148 For kings and all that are in authority we may..pray for peaceable reign, true lieges, strong armies [etc.]. 1821Scott Kenilw. xxvii, Her Majesty, being detained by her gracious desire to receive the homage of her lieges. 1845S. Austin Ranke's Hist. Ref. I. 97 The emperor's lieges. 1880Kinglake Crimea VI. ix. 380 In future campaigns the lieges shall not be the marplots they were in the days of Lord Raglan.
▪ II. † liege, v. Obs. rare.
[f. liege n.]
trans. To render (homage) as a liege.
1563–87Foxe A. & M. (1596) 348/1 You are entred into our homage by you lieged unto us, acknowledging your selfe..a liege man unto the King of France. |