liege
/liːdʒ/ (bre, ipa) · [lˈidʒ] /liːdʒ/ (ame, ipa) · [lˈidʒ] /ˈlēj/ (ame, mw)
liege — noun
- liegesingular
- liegesplural
1. the feudal superior — a king or high-ranking noble — who receives loyalty and mi
the feudal superior — a king or high-ranking noble — who receives loyalty and military support from those living on the land under their control
When the castle came under attack, Lord Warwick sent a messenger to inform his liege.
possessive determiner + liege for one's lord
At Dover Castle, fifteen knights swore a sacred oath of loyalty to the Earl of Kent as their liege.
Baron Montfort reminded the villagers that King Henry was their liege and protector against the northern raiders.
Lord Edmund, as their liege, provided food and firewood for his followers during the harsh winter of 1347.
The queen, as their liege, expected each noble family to send soldiers to the border.
- vassal
the person who owes service, not the one who receives it
文法句型
possessive determiner + liege
用法筆記
Almost always used with a possessive modifier (my liege, his liege, their liege). In modern English, 'my liege' appears mainly in fantasy fiction, historical novels, and films set in medieval times.
常見錯誤
2. a person who pledges loyalty and military aid to a noble landowner within a feud
a person who pledges loyalty and military aid to a noble landowner within a feudal system, gaining protection and land-use rights in return
Each liege of the baron had to supply at least ten soldiers for the royal army.
liege of [lord] — vassal belonging to a lord
Baron Werner, the duke's most trusted liege, managed the estates around Cologne for twelve years.
When a liege failed to deliver the yearly harvest tax, the lord sent armed men to collect it.
Sir Henry proved himself a loyal liege by defending Ravensworth Castle against the Scottish invasion of 1346.
The treaty required every liege to publicly swear allegiance to the new monarch at the cathedral.
- lord
the person who grants land and receives service
文法句型
liege of + noun
用法筆記
This sense (vassal) is less common than sense 1 (lord). Context usually clarifies which meaning is intended: if the liege serves someone else, it means vassal; if others serve the liege, it means lord.
常見錯誤
liege — adjective
- liegepositive
- liegercomparative
- liegestsuperlative
1. describing a lord or ruler who has the legal right to demand loyalty and militar
describing a lord or ruler who has the legal right to demand loyalty and military service from people living on the land under their control
The liege lord held authority over every village and farm in the valley.
standard collocation: liege lord
As the liege ruler of the region, Count Baldwin could demand taxes and soldiers from his barons.
In the Kingdom of France, only the liege sovereign could grant the title of count to a loyal baron.
The peasants paid their annual rent directly to their liege superior, not to the distant king.
King Alfonso, as liege monarch, was expected to protect his subjects in Castile from Moorish raids.
- feudal
broader term describing the system rather than the specific right
- seignorial
more technical term relating to the power of a feudal lord
文法句型
liege + noun
用法筆記
Nearly always appears before a noun such as 'lord', 'ruler', 'sovereign', 'monarch', or 'superior'. The adjective does not have comparative or superlative forms.
2. describing a person who is legally bound to give loyalty and military service to
describing a person who is legally bound to give loyalty and military service to a feudal lord
The baron's liege men gathered in the courtyard at dawn to begin the march north.
standard collocation: liege men
Every liege vassal in the kingdom was required to attend the royal court once a year.
Sir Godfrey had been a liege subject of the Duke of Burgundy for twenty-two years before the war.
The liege knight presented himself before the wooden throne of Lord Castellan and knelt to receive his marching orders.
A liege soldier could not refuse his master's call to war without being branded a traitor.
- sovereign
describes the ruler, not the one who serves
文法句型
liege + noun
用法筆記
Distinguish from adjective sense 1: sense 1 describes the lord who receives service (liege lord), while this sense describes the vassal who owes service (liege man, liege vassal). The noun that follows determines the meaning.
3. showing steady loyalty and devotion to a person, group, or cause; remaining true
showing steady loyalty and devotion to a person, group, or cause; remaining true and dependable
The old butler remained liege to the Montague family after they lost their London townhouse and fled to the countryside.
remain liege to — predicative use with 'to'
Chen's liege devotion to the school-building project never wavered through thirty years of official opposition and funding cuts.
attributive: liege devotion
Sir Gawain praised his liege followers for refusing to abandon the wounded knight on the battlefield.
Dahlia proved a liege friend to the exiled poet, writing to him every week for ten years.
In the Arthurian tale, Gawain's liege follower saves his master during the Green Knight's challenge and refuses any reward.
- disloyal
the direct opposite
- treacherous
stronger negative term suggesting betrayal
文法句型
liege to + noun
remain liege
用法筆記
This sense is archaic in modern English, appearing mostly in literary or poetic contexts. The synonymous words 'loyal' or 'faithful' are more natural in everyday speech. When used predicatively (remain liege to), it sounds deliberately old-fashioned.