Vassalage

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Vassalage \Vas"sal*age\, n. [OE. vassalage, F. vasselage, LL.
     vassallaticum.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. The state of being a vassal, or feudatory.
        [1913 Webster]
  


     2. Political servitude; dependence; subjection; slavery; as,
        the Greeks were held in vassalage by the Turks.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. A territory held in vassalage. "The Countship of Foix,
        with six territorial vassalages." --Milman.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. Vassals, collectively; vassalry. [R.] --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     5. Valorous service, such as that performed by a vassal;
        valor; prowess; courage. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  vassalage
       n : the state of a serf [syn: {serfdom}, {serfhood}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  30 Moby Thesaurus words for "vassalage":
     absolutism, bond service, bondage, captivity, control,
     debt slavery, deprivation of freedom, disenfranchisement,
     disfranchisement, domination, enslavement, enthrallment, feudalism,
     feudality, helotism, helotry, indentureship, peonage, restraint,
     serfdom, serfhood, servility, servitude, slavery, subjection,
     subjugation, thrall, thralldom, tyranny, villenage