livery

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A distinctive uniform worn by the male servants of a household.
2. n. The distinctive dress worn by the members of a particular group; uniform: ushers in livery.
3. n. The costume or insignia worn by the retainers of a feudal lord.
4. n. The boarding and care of horses for a fee.
5. n. The hiring out of horses and carriages.
6. n. A livery stable.
7. n. A business that offers vehicles, such as automobiles or boats, for hire.
8. n. Law Official delivery of property, especially land, to a new owner.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. Resembling the liver: as, a livery color, texture, etc.
2. n. Delivery; allowance; grant; permission.
3. n. In law: The act of giving possession; delivery. Chiefly used in the phrase livery of seizin—that is, the act of putting a person in corporal possession of a freehold by giving him the ring, latch, or key of the door; or, if land, by delivering him a turf or twig, accompanied by a form of words or (as always in later times) a written document expressing the transfer of possession; or, in either case, doing any act before witnesses which clearly places the party in possession. It formerly accompanied all conveyances of land, but is now confined in England to that conveyance called a feoffment. It is unknown in American law.
4. n. The charter or deed of possession accompanying the delivery.
5. n. Release from constraint or control; deliverance.
6. n. Delivery (of blows).
7. n. An allowance of food or other provisions statedly given out; a ration, as to a family, to servants, to horses, etc.
8. n. Keeping on a certain or regular allowance at a certain rate; regular keeping and attendance: now used only of horses: as, to keep a horse at livery.
9. n. A regular distribution of uniform garments, badges, etc., to any body of men; hence, a uniform style prescribed for the dress of a body of servants, followers, or associates.
10. n. A badge, cognizance, garment, or entire costume of uniform fashion formerly marking the retainers of a feudal lord, the followers of a military superior, or the members of a company, as a gild or corporation; at the present time, the dress worn by servants, especially men servants, when of peculiar fashion and indicating whom it is that they serve. Such liveries usually take their colors from the heraldic tinctures used in the armorial bearings, or with modifications. Thus, if the master's arms include a field or, the color of the livery-coat, instead of yellow, may be drab; so in England red, being the color of the royal livery, is avoided by all subjects, and maroon or chocolate is substituted for it when gules is prominent in the arms of the employer.
11. n. Figuratively, any characteristic dress, or a dress assumed for or worn upon a particular occasion; hence, characteristic covering or outward appearance: as, the livery of May or of autumn.
12. n. A livery-stable.
13. n. Same as livery company: as, the London liveries.
14. To clothe in or as if in livery.

Wiktionary

1. n. Any distinctive identifying uniform worn by a group, such as the uniform worn by chauffeurs and male servants.
2. n. The paint scheme of a vehicle or fleet of vehicles.
3. n. US A taxicab or limousine.
4. n. law The delivery of property from one owner to the next.
5. n. historical The rental of horses or carriages; the rental of canoes; the care and/or boarding of horses for money.
6. n. historical A stable that keeps horses or carridges for rental.
7. v. archaic To clothe in.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. The act of delivering possession of lands or tenements.
2. n. The writ by which possession is obtained.
3. n. Release from wardship; deliverance.
4. n. That which is delivered out statedly or formally, as clothing, food, etc.
5. n. The uniform clothing issued by feudal superiors to their retainers and serving as a badge when in military service.
6. n. The peculiar dress by which the servants of a nobleman or gentleman are distinguished.
7. n. Hence, also, the peculiar dress or garb appropriated by any association or body of persons to their own use; ; also, the whole body or company of persons wearing such a garb, and entitled to the privileges of the association.
8. n. Hence, any characteristic dress or outward appearance.
9. n. An allowance of food statedly given out; a ration, as to a family, to servants, to horses, etc.
10. n. The feeding, stabling, and care of horses for compensation; boarding.
11. n. The keeping of horses in readiness to be hired temporarily for riding or driving; the state of being so kept; also, the place where horses are so kept, also called a livery stable.
12. n. A low grade of wool.
13. v. To clothe in, or as in, livery.

WordNet 3.0

1. adj. suffering from or suggesting a liver disorder or gastric distress
2. n. the care (feeding and stabling) of horses for pay
3. n. uniform worn by some menservants and chauffeurs
4. n. the voluntary transfer of something (title or possession) from one party to another