Villein — Vil lein, n. (Feudal Law) See {Villain}, 1. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
villein — early 14c., spelling variant of VILLAIN (Cf. villain), referring to a feudal class of half free peasants … Etymology dictionary
villein — [vil′ən] n. [ME: see VILLAIN] any of a class of feudal serfs who by the 13th cent. had become freemen in their legal relations to all except their lord, to whom they remained subject as slaves … English World dictionary
Villein — The wealthiest class of peasant. They usually cultivate 20 40 Acres of land, often in isolated strips. A bondsman, a man bonded to the land that he worked. Villeins lived in villages, attached to a lord’s holdings, all but a slave. A lord who… … Medieval glossary
villein — UK [ˈvɪlən] / US / UK [ˈvɪleɪn] / US [vɪˈleɪn] noun [countable] Word forms villein : singular villein plural villeins a poor farm worker in the Middle Ages who was forced to work on the land of a very powerful person … English dictionary
Villein — A man bonded to the land that he worked. Living in villages attached to a lord s holdings, they were virtual slaves and almost never given their freedom. The lord could do anything he wanted with them, except mutilate or kill them. Villeins… … The writer's dictionary of science fiction, fantasy, horror and mythology
villein — Villain Vil lain, n. [OE. vilein, F. vilain, LL. villanus, from villa a village, L. villa a farm. See {Villa}.] [1913 Webster] 1. (Feudal Law) One who holds lands by a base, or servile, tenure, or in villenage; a feudal tenant of the lowest class … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Villein (feudal) — Villein (or villain ) was the term used in the feudal era to denote a peasant (tenant farmer) who was legally tied to the land he worked on. An alternative term is serf (from Latin servus = slave ). A villein could not leave the land without the… … Wikipedia
villein in gross — A villein at large; that is, a villein who was annexed to the person of the lord as a sort of body servant. He was transferable by deed from one owner to another, but had no connection with the soil. See 2 Bl Comm 93 … Ballentine's law dictionary
villein socage — Socage Soc age, n.[From {Soc}; cf. LL. socagium.] (O.Eng. Law) A tenure of lands and tenements by a certain or determinate service; a tenure distinct from chivalry or knight s service, in which the obligations were uncertain. The service must be… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
