Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A freeman or citizen of an English borough.
- n. A member of the English Parliament who once represented a town, borough, or university.
- n. A member of the lower house of the legislature of colonial Virginia or Maryland.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. In England, an inhabitant of a borough or walled town, or one who possesses a tenement therein; a citizen or freeman of a borough.
- n. A representative of a borough in the British Parliament.
- n. Hence The title given before the revolution to the representatives in the popular branch of the legislature of Virginia, which was styled the House of Burgesses, but is now called the House of Delegates. The title of members of the lower house in the colonial legislature of Maryland.
- n. A magistrate of a corporate town. In Connecticut boroughs the board of burgesses corresponds to the township board or board of trustees in some other States, or to the common council of a city. The chief executive officer of a Pennsylvanian borough is called the chief burgess.
- n. A member of the corporation of a Scotch burgh; now, any inhabitant of a burgh of full age, rated for poor-rates, and not in arrears, and who for a period of three years has occupied any house, shop, or other building in it, not being an alien and not having received either parochial or burgh relief for twelve months preceding the last Whitsunday.
Wiktionary
- n. An inhabitant of a borough with full rights; a citizen.
- n. historical A town magistrate.
- n. historical, UK A representative of a borough in the Parliament.
- n. historical, US A member of the House of Burgesses, a legislative body in the colonial America, established by Virginia Company to provide civil rule in the colonies.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. An inhabitant of a borough or walled town, or one who possesses a tenement therein; a citizen or freeman of a borough.
- n. One who represents a borough in Parliament.
- n. A magistrate of a borough.
- n. An inhabitant of a Scotch burgh qualified to vote for municipal officers.
WordNet 3.0
- n. a citizen of an English borough
- n. English writer of satirical novels (1917-1993)
Etymologies
- From Middle English burgeis, from Anglo-Norman burgeis, of Germanic origin; either from Late Latin burgensis < *burgus or Frankish. See also bourgeois, burgish. (Wiktionary)
- Middle English burgeis, from Old French, from Late Latin burgēnsis, from burgus, fortified town; see bhergh-2 in Indo-European roots. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
Examples
“A middle class arose, comprised of bankers, merchants and craftsman, and was known as the "burgess" in England, the "bourgeoisie" in France, and the "burgher" in Germany.”
“_ Virginia), a "burgess" was a member of the legislative body, which was termed the "House of Burgesses.”
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 4 "Bulgaria" to "Calgary"
“The third son of Walter and Isobel Peirson, Alexander Peirson, represented Edinburgh in the Convention of Estates at Holyrood House, in 1602, and in the Scottish Parliament of 1608, having been since 1586 a merchant burgess of Edinburgh.”
“Benjamin [freeholder, Williams Town, burgess for Lonsdale Ward], A [Alexander].”
“Broadfoot [freeholder, River Plenty, burgess for Lonsdale Ward], E [rskine?].”
“And btw do you think this hurts me with my base? what about you, mike, will you endorse me next time if i vote for burgess 'position?”
State Should Close Loophole to Public Disclosure Law « PubliCola
“This might have become tedious from an older man, but one after another his patrons reassured him that his reputation was safe from “the vain babbling of worthless, malicious, envious sycophants,” as one burgess called the Centinel.80”
“While GW was touring, his name was put up for election as a burgess from Frederick County, possibly without his knowledge, and in any case with not much time to campaign, and he lost.”
“CNN and Ms. Ferraro should be ashamed of themselves for reporting such divisive non-news in interest of ratings, rather than the very serious matter at hand, which is the election of our next President. brian burgess”
“You've got it in one (and my mother was a matron). burgess”
On Thursday, the Legg report will be published along with...
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘burgess’.
Tweets
Looking for tweets for burgess.
Comments
No comments yet...
Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.