資料來源 : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Liege \Liege\ (l[=e]j), a. [OE. lige, lege, F. lige, LL. ligius,
legius, liege, unlimited, complete, prob. of German origin;
cf. G. ledig free from bonds and obstacles, MHG. ledec,
ledic, lidic, freed, loosed, and Charta Ottonis de Benthem,
ann. 1253, ``ligius homo quod Teutonic[`e] dicitur
ledigman,'' i. e., uni soli homagio obligatus, free from all
obligations to others; influenced by L. ligare to bind. G.
ledig perh. orig. meant, free to go where one pleases, and is
perh. akin to E. lead to conduct. Cf. {Lead} to guide.]
1. Sovereign; independent; having authority or right to
allegiance; as, a liege lord. --Chaucer.
She looked as grand as doomsday and as grave; And
he, he reverenced his liege lady there. --Tennyson.
2. Serving an independent sovereign or master; bound by a
feudal tenure; obliged to be faithful and loyal to a
superior, as a vassal to his lord; faithful; loyal; as, a
liege man; a liege subject.
3. (Old Law) Full; perfect; complete; pure. --Burrill.
{Liege homage} (Feudal Custom), that homage of one sovereign
or prince to another which acknowledged an obligation of
fealty and services.
{Liege poustie} [L. legitima potestas] (Scots Law), perfect,
i. e., legal, power; specif., having health requisite to
do legal acts.
{Liege widowhood}, perfect, i. e., pure, widowhood. [Obs.]