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Liege

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The word means one bound, a bondsman (Latin, ligo, to bind); hence, vassals were called liege-meni.e. men bound to serve their lord. The lord was called the liege-lord, being bound to protect the vassals.

“Unarmed and bareheaded, on his knees, and with his hands placed between those of his lord, he [the military tenant] repeated these words: ‘Hear, my lord, I have become your liegeman of life and limb, and earthly worship; and faith and truth I will bear to you to live and die.”—Lingard: History of England, vol. ii. chap. i. p. 27.

 

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Entry taken from Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. and revised in 1895.

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Lie Low (To)
Lie Over (To)
Lie-to (To)
Lie Up (To)
Lie at the Catch (To)
Lie in State (To)
Lie on Hand (To)
Lie to One’s Work (To)
Lie with One’s Fathers (To)
Liebenstein and Sternfels
Liege
Lien
Liesse
Lieutenant (pronounce lef-ten-unt)
Life
Life-boat (A)
Life-buoy (A)
Life-Guards
Life Policy (A)
Life Preserver (A)
Lift

See Also:

Liège