Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun In old English and feudal law, the bringing to his lord's service of other workmen by a tenant in addition to his own service or rent; also, the like bringing of other vassals by a subject to his sovereign or chief.
- noun Servitude; subjection; service; specifically, the service of a lover.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun obsolete Serfage; slavery; servitude.
Etymologies
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Examples
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There was an usage in England, and yet is in divers countries, that the noblemen hath great franchise over the commons and keepeth them in servage, that is to say, their tenants ought by custom to labour the lords' lands, to gather and bring home their corns, and some to thresh and to fan, and by servage to make their hay and to hew their wood and bring it home.
Chronicle and Romance (The Harvard Classics Series) Thomas Malory Jean Froissart
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There was an usage in England, and yet is in divers countries, that the noblemen hath great franchise over the commons and keepeth them in servage, that is to say, their tenants ought by custom to labour the lords lands, to gather and bring home their corns, and some to thresh and to fan, and by servage to make their hay and to hew their wood and bring it home.
Wat Tyler’s Rebellion. How the Commons of England Rebelled against the Noblemen 1909
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The first statute was, that they should believe and obey in God Immortal, that is Almighty, that would cast them out of servage, and at all times clepe to him for help in time of need.
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The first statute was, that thei scholde beleeven and obeyen in God inmortalle, that is allemyghty, that wolde casten hem out of servage; and at alle tymes clepe to him for help, in tyme of nede.
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And, when he had won the city, he burnt the temple and beat it down, and all the city, and took the Jews and did them to death — 1,100,000; and the others he put in prison and sold them to servage, — thirty for one penny; for they said they bought Jesu for thirty pennies, and he made of them better cheap when he gave thirty for one penny.
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It is but litylle more but 8 score zeer, that alle Tartarye was in subiectioun and in servage to othere nacyouns abouten: for thei weren but bestyalle folk, and diden no thing but kepten bestes, and lad hem to pastures.
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Aftre that the Comaynz, that weren in servage in Egypt, felten hem self, that thei weren of gret power, thei chesen hem a Soudain amonges hem: the whiche made him to ben cleped Melethesalan.
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And the nyght sewynge, this white knyght cam to the 7 lynages, and commaunded hem, on Goddes behalve inmortalle, that thei scholde make this Changuys here emperour; and thei scholde ben out of subieccioun; and thei scholde holden alle other regiounes aboute hem in here servage, as thei had ben to hem beforn.
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And whan he hadde wonnen the cytee, he brente the temple and beet it down, and alle the cytee, and toke the Jewes, and dide hem to Dethe, 1100000: and the othere he putte in presoun, and solde hem to servage, 30 for o peny: for thei seyde, thei boughte Jesu for 30 penyes: and he made of hem bettre cheep, whan he zaf 30 for o peny.
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Aftre alle this the Cane ordeyned him, and assembled his peple, and wente upon hem that hadden assayled hym before, and destroyed hem, and put hem in subieccioun and servage.
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