Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A company of trained militia in England or America from the 16th to the 18th century.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. A force of citizen soldiery identified with London; especially, one company or division of this force. The service rendered by the train-bands to the Parliament during the civil war caused their dissolution by Charles II., but the force was reorganized later, and continued for many years.
- n. Sometimes used adjectively:
Wiktionary
- n. historical a company of trained civilian militia operating in England and North America between the 16th and the 18th centuries
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. engraving A band or company of an organized military force instituted by James I. and dissolved by Charles II.; -- afterwards applied to the London militia.
WordNet 3.0
- n. a company of militia in England or America from the 16th century to the 18th century
Etymologies
- Contraction of trained band. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
Examples
“And he proceeded to write some sentences, which he handed in to the clerk, who read out in his calm voice: "John Gilpin was a citizen of credit and renown; a trainband captain eke was he of famous London town.”
“At noon of May 31, 1689, Leisler summoned the citizens to arms by beat of drum, mustering his own trainband before his house.”
“In Weaver v. Ward,/1/the defendant set up that the plaintiff and he were skirmishing in a trainband, and that when discharging his piece he wounded the plaintiff by accident and misfortune, and against his own will.”
“Except the malefactors whom we have described, and the diseased or infirm persons, the whole male population of the town, between sixteen years and sixty, were seen in the ranks of the trainband.”
“AT noon of on autumnal day, more than two centuries ago, the English colors were displayed by the standard-bearer of the Salem trainband, which had mustered for martial exercise under the orders of John Endicott.”
“Humph! To-morrow you will deliver ten guns to the captain of the trainband at the court-house.”
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