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liveriesmore about liveries

liveries


  1  definition  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Livery  \Liv"er*y\,  n.;  pl  {Liveries}.  [OE.  livere,  F. 
  livr['e]e,  formerly,  a  gift  of  clothes  made  by  the  master  to 
  his  servants,  prop.,  a  thing  delivered,  fr  livrer  to 
  deliver,  L.  liberare  to  set  free  in  LL.,  to  deliver  up  See 
  {Liberate}.] 
  1.  (Eng.  Law) 
  a  The  act  of  delivering  possession  of  lands  or 
  tenements. 
  b  The  writ  by  which  possession  is  obtained. 
 
  Note:  It  is  usual  to  say  livery  of  seizin,  which  is  a  feudal 
  investiture,  made  by  the  delivery  of  a  turf,  of  a  rod, 
  or  twig,  from  the  feoffor  to  the  feoffee.  In  the  United 
  States,  and  now  in  Great  Britain,  no  such  ceremony  is 
  necessary,  the  delivery  of  a  deed  being  sufficient. 
 
  2.  Release  from  wardship;  deliverance. 
 
  It  concerned  them  first  to  sue  out  their  livery  from 
  the  unjust  wardship  of  his  encroaching  prerogative. 
  --Milton. 
 
  3.  That  which  is  delivered  out  statedly  or  formally,  as 
  clothing,  food,  etc.;  especially: 
  a  The  uniform  clothing  issued  by  feudal  superiors  to 
  their  retainers  and  serving  as  a  badge  when  in 
  military  service. 
  b  The  peculiar  dress  by  which  the  servants  of  a  nobleman 
  or  gentleman  are  distinguished;  as  a  claret-colored 
  livery. 
  c  Hence  also  the  peculiar  dress  or  garb  appropriated 
  by  any  association  or  body  of  persons  to  their  own 
  use  as  the  livery  of  the  London  tradesmen,  of  a 
  priest,  of  a  charity  school,  etc.;  also  the  whole 
  body  or  company  of  persons  wearing  such  a  garb,  and 
  entitled  to  the  privileges  of  the  association;  as  the 
  whole  livery  of  London. 
 
  A  Haberdasher  and  a  Carpenter,  A  Webbe,  a  Dyer, 
  and  a  Tapicer,  And  they  were  clothed  all  in  one 
  livery  Of  a  solempne  and  a  gret  fraternite. 
  --Chaucer. 
 
  From  the  periodical  deliveries  of  these 
  characteristic  articles  of  servile  costume  (blue 
  coats)  came  our  word  livery.  --De  Quincey. 
  d  Hence  any  characteristic  dress  or  outward  appearance. 
  ``  April's  livery.''  --Sir  P.  Sidney. 
 
  Now  came  still  evening  on  and  twilight  gray  Had 
  in  her  sober  livery  all  things  clad.  --Milton. 
  e  An  allowance  of  food  statedly  given  out  a  ration,  as 
  to  a  family,  to  servants,  to  horses,  etc 
 
  The  emperor's  officers  every  night  went  through 
  the  town  from  house  to  house  whereat  any  English 
  gentleman  did  repast  or  lodge,  and  served  their 
  liveries  for  all  night:  first  the  officers 
  brought  into  the  house  a  cast  of  fine  manchet 
  [white  bread],  and  of  silver  two  great  post  and 
  white  wine,  and  sugar.  --Cavendish. 
  f  The  feeding,  stabling,  and  care  of  horses  for 
  compensation;  boarding;  as  to  keep  one's  horses  at 
  livery. 
 
  What  livery  is  we  by  common  use  in  England  know 
  well  enough,  namely,  that  is  allowance  of  horse 
  meat,  as  to  keep  horses  at  livery,  the  which 
  word  I  guess,  is  derived  of  livering  or 
  delivering  forth  their  nightly  food.  --Spenser. 
 
  It  need  hardly  be  observed  that  the  explanation 
  of  livery  which  Spenser  offers  is  perfectly 
  correct,  but  .  .  .  it  is  no  longer  applied  to 
  the  ration  or  stated  portion  of  food  delivered 
  at  stated  periods.  --Trench. 
  g  The  keeping  of  horses  in  readiness  to  be  hired 
  temporarily  for  riding  or  driving;  the  state  of  being 
  so  kept. 
 
  Pegasus  does  not  stand  at  livery  even  at  the 
  largest  establishment  in  Moorfields  --Lowell. 
 
  4.  A  low  grade  of  wool. 
 
  {Livery  gown},  the  gown  worn  by  a  liveryman  in  London. 




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