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Webster 1913 Edition


Tenure

Ten′ure

,
Noun.
[F.
tenure
, OF.
teneure
, fr. F.
tenir
to hold. See
Tenable
.]
1.
The act or right of holding, as property, especially real estate.
That the
tenure
of estates might rest on equity, the Indian title to lands was in all cases to be quieted.
Bancroft.
2.
(Eng. Law)
The manner of holding lands and tenements of a superior.
☞ Tenure is inseparable from the idea of property in land, according to the theory of the English law; and this idea of tenure pervades, to a considerable extent, the law of real property in the United States, where the title to land is essentially allodial, and almost all lands are held in fee simple, not of a superior, but the whole right and title to the property being vested in the owner. Tenure, in general, then, is the particular manner of holding real estate, as by exclusive title or ownership, by fee simple, by fee tail, by courtesy, in dower, by copyhold, by lease, at will, etc.
3.
The consideration, condition, or service which the occupier of land gives to his lord or superior for the use of his land.
4.
Manner of holding, in general;
as, in absolute governments, men hold their rights by a precarious
tenure
.
All that seems thine own,
Held by the
tenure
of his will alone.
Cowper.
Tenure by fee alms
.
(Law)

Webster 1828 Edition


Tenure

TEN'URE

,
Noun.
[L. teneo, to hold.]
1.
A holding. In English law, the manner of holding lands and tenements of a superior. All the species of ancient tenures may be reduced to four, three of which subsist to this day. 1. Tenure by knight service, which was the most honorable. This is now abolished. 2. Tenure in free socage, or by a certain and determinate service, which is either free and honorable, or villain and base. 3. Tenure by copy of court roll, or copyhold tenure. 4. Tenure in ancient demain. There was also tenure in frankalmoign, or free alms. The tenure in free and common socage has absorbed most of the others.
In the United States, almost all lands are held in fee simple; not of a superior, but the whole right and title to the property being vested in the owner.
Tenure in general, then, is the particular manner of holding real estate, as by exclusive title or ownership, by fee simple, by fee tail, by curtesy, in dower, by copyhold, by lease, at will, &c.
2.
The consideration, condition or service which the occupier of land gives to his lord or superior for the use of his land.
3.
Manner of holding in general. In absolute governments, men hold their rights by a precarious tenure.

Definition 2024


tenure

tenure

English

Noun

tenure (countable and uncountable, plural tenures)

  1. A status of possessing a thing or an office; an incumbency.
    • Cowper
      All that seems thine own, / Held by the tenure of his will alone.
  2. A period of time during which something is possessed.
  3. A status of having a permanent post with enhanced job security within an academic institution.
  4. A right to hold land under the feudal system.

Synonyms

  • (a status of possessing a thing or an office): incumbency

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Verb

tenure (third-person singular simple present tenures, present participle tenuring, simple past and past participle tenured)

  1. (transitive) To grant tenure, the status of having a permanent academic position, to (someone).

Anagrams


French

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /tə.nyʁ/

Noun

tenure f (plural tenures)

  1. (historical) tenure (right to hold land under the feudal system)

Anagrams


Old French

Alternative forms

  • teneure (common), teneüre, tenëure (diaereses are not universally used in Old French transcriptions)
  • tenuire
  • tennure
  • tenour
  • tenuere

Noun

tenure f (oblique plural tenures, nominative singular tenure, nominative plural tenures)

  1. tenure (right to hold land under the feudal system)
  2. holding (of land); estate
  3. tenure, right of possession
    • 1283, Philippe de Beaumanoir, Les Coutumes de Beauvaisis, available in page 237 of this document
      le longue tenure qu'il alliguent ne lor vaut riens
      The long tenure that they are claiming is worth nothing to them

References