vassal
Etymology

From Middle English vassal, from Old French vassal, from Medieval Latin vassallus, from Latin vassus, from Gaulish *wassos, from Proto-Celtic *wastos (compare Old Irish foss and Welsh gwas).

Pronunciation
  • IPA: /ˈvæsəl/
Noun

vassal (plural vassals)

  1. (historical, law) The grantee of a fief, a subordinate granted use of a superior's land and its income in exchange for vows of fidelity and homage and (typically) military service.
    Synonyms: feudatory, feudal tenant
    The manor's vassals owed first fruits and a tithe to the parish church, another 10% to the lord (including at least 50 eels), a week or two each year of service in the manor's upkeep, and service in the local fyrd.
  2. (historical) Any direct subordinate bound by such vows to a superior.
    Synonyms: subject, dependant, bondsman, villein, serf, helot, thrall, servant, slave
    The king ordered his vassals to join him on the crusade unless they had a written note signed by the archbishop or pope.
  3. (figurative) Any subordinate bound by similar close ties.
    • 1667, John Milton, “Book II”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC ↗; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC ↗:
      The vassals of his anger.
Related terms Translations Translations Adjective

vassal (not comparable)

  1. Resembling a vassal; slavish; servile.
    • c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Loues Labour's Lost”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act IV, scene iii]:
      Did they, quoth you? / Who sees the heavenly Rosaline / That, like a rude and savage man of Inde / At the first opening of the gorgeous east / Bows not his vassal head and strucken blind / Kisses the base ground with obedient breast?
Verb

vassal (vassals, present participle vassaling; simple past and past participle vassaled)

  1. (transitive) To treat as a vassal or to reduce to the position of a vassal; to subject to control; to enslave.
  2. (transitive) To subordinate to someone or something.
Translations Translations


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