Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Livery
Liv′er-y
,Noun.
pl.
Liveries
(#)
. [OE.
livere
, F. livrée
, 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.
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
; also, the whole body or company of persons wearing such a garb, and entitled to the privileges of the association; livery
of the London tradesmen, of a priest, of a charity school, etc.as, the whole
. livery
of LondonA Haberdasher and a Carpenter,
A Webbe, a Dyer, and a Tapicer,
And they were clothed all in one
Of a solempne and a gret fraternite.
A Webbe, a Dyer, and a Tapicer,
And they were clothed all in one
livery
Of a solempne and a gret fraternite.
Chaucer.
(d)
Hence, any characteristic dress or outward appearance.
“ April’s livery.” Sir P. Sidney.
(e)
An allowance of food statedly given out; a ration, as to a family, to servants, to horses, etc.
(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.
(g)
The keeping of horses in readiness to be hired temporarily for riding or driving; the state of being so kept; also, the place where horses are so kept, also called a
livery stable
. 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.
Liv′er-y
,Verb.
T.
To clothe in, or as in, livery.
Shak.
Webster 1828 Edition
Livery
LIV'ERY
, n.1.
The act of delivering possession of lands or tenements; a term of English law. It is usual to say, livery of seisin, which is feudal investiture, made by the delivery of a turf, of a rod or twig, from the feoffor to the feoffee. In America, no such ceremony is necessary to a conveyance of real estate, the delivery of a deed being sufficient.2.
Release from wardship; deliverance.3.
The writ by which possession os obtained.4.
The state of being kept at a certain rate; as, to keep horses at livery.5.
A form of dress by which noblemen and gentlemen distinguish their servants. The Romish church has also liveries for confessors, virgins, apostles, martyrs, penitents, &c. Hence,6.
A particular dress or garb, appropriate or peculiar to particular times or things; as the livery of May; the livery of autumn.Now came still evening on, and twilight gray had in her sober livery all things clad.
7.
The whole body of liverymen in London.LIV'ERY
,Verb.
T.