villeinage — or villenage [vil′ənij] n. [ME villenage < OFr: see VILLAIN] 1. the status of a villein 2. the conditions of tenure by which a villein held his land … English World dictionary
Villeinage — Tenure by which a villein held his land; it was known as tenure by villeinage or in villeinage . The Latin form used was villanagium. Cf. Villein; Bondus … Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases
villeinage — Villanage Vil lan*age (?; 48), n. [OF. villenage, vilenage. See {Villain}.] 1. (Feudal Law) The state of a villain, or serf; base servitude; tenure on condition of doing the meanest services for the lord. [In this sense written also {villenage},… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
villeinage — /vilanaj/ In feudal law, a servile kind of tenure belonging to lands or tenements, whereby the tenant was bound to do all such services as the lord commanded, or were fit for a villein to do. See villein. @ pure villeinage A base tenure, where a… … Black's law dictionary
villeinage — noun the state of being a villein … Wiktionary
villeinage — (Roget s Thesaurus II) also villainage noun A state of subjugation to an owner or master: bondage, enslavement, helotry, serfdom, ser vileness, servility, servitude, slavery, thrall, thralldom, yoke. See OVER … English dictionary for students
villeinage — [ vɪlənɪdʒ, leɪn ] noun historical the tenure or status of a villein in the feudal system … English new terms dictionary
villeinage — vil·lein·age … English syllables
villeinage — vil•lein•age or vil•len•age [[t]ˈvɪl ə nɪdʒ[/t]] n. 1) why+law the tenure by which a villein held land from a lord 2) law why the condition or status of a villein • Etymology: 1275–1325; ME < AF, OF … From formal English to slang
villeinage — /ˈvɪlənɪdʒ/ (say viluhnij) noun 1. the tenure by which a villein held land and tenements from the lord. 2. the condition or status of a villein. Also, villainage, villanage, villenage. {Middle English, from Old French. See villain, age} …