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Liege homage

Source : 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.]
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