KNIGHT'S SERVICE • DICCIONARIO INGLES.COM • Definition of Knight's service

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noun

Knight's service, Knight service n.

(Feud. Law) The military service by rendering which a knight held his lands.

(Eng. Feud. Law) A tenure of lands held by knights on condition of performing military service. See Chivalry, n., 4. "By far the greater part of England (in the 13th century) is held of the king by knight's service.... In order to understand this tenure we must form the conception of a unit of military service. That unit seems to be the service of one knight or fully armed horseman (servitium unius militis) to be done to the king in his army for forty days in the year, if it be called for.... The limit of forty days seems to have existed rather in theory than practice."

Service such as a knight can or should render; hence, good or valuable service.

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Etymology of 'Knight's service'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Knight's service" Quotes from Famous Books

... I do knight's service owe, And therefore now he hath my wit in ward; But while it [i.e. the poet's wit] is in his tuition so Methinks he doth intreat [i.e. treat] it passing hard . . . But why should love after minority (When I have passed the one ...

— A Life of William Shakespeare - with portraits and facsimiles • Sidney Lee

... of those who restored the House of Stuart unjustly censured Abolition of Tenures by Knight Service; Disbandment of the Army Disputes between the Roundheads and Cavaliers renewed Religious Dissension Unpopularity of the Puritans Character of Charles II Character of the Duke of York and Earl of Clarendon ...

— The History of England from the Accession of James II. - Volume 1 (of 5) • Thomas Babington Macaulay

Words linked to "Knight's service" : service