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more about fealty
fealty |
2 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Fealty \Fe"al*ty\, n. [OE. faute, OF faut['e], fealt['e], feel['e], feelteit fr L. fidelitas fr fidelis faithful. See {Feal}, and cf Fidelity.] 1. Fidelity to one's lord; the feudal obligation by which the tenant or vassal was bound to be faithful to his lord; the special oath by which this obligation was assumed; fidelity to a superior power, or to a government; loyality. It is no longer the practice to exact the performance of fealty, as a feudal obligation. --Wharton (Law Dict. ). Tomlins 2. Fidelity; constancy; faithfulness, as of a friend to a friend, or of a wife to her husband. He should maintain fealty to God. --I. Taylor. Makes wicked lightnings of her eyes, and saps The fealty of our friends. --tennyson. Swore fealty to the new government. --Macaulay. Note: Fealty is distinguished from homage, which is an acknowledgment of tenure, while fealty implies an oath. See {Homage}. --Wharton. Syn: Homage; loyality; fidelity; constancy. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: fealty n : the loyalty that citizens owe to their country (or subjects to their sovereign) [syn: {allegiance}]
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