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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
livery
of the London tradesmen, of a priest, of a charity school, etc.
; also, the whole body or company of persons wearing such a garb, and entitled to the privileges of the association;
as, the whole
livery
of London
.
A Haberdasher and a Carpenter,
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.
To clothe in livery.

Definition 2024


livery

livery

English

Noun

livery (plural liveries)

  1. Any distinctive identifying uniform worn by a group, such as the uniform worn by chauffeurs and male servants.
    • 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, chapter 7, in Mr. Pratt's Patients:
      “I don't know how you and the ‘head,’ as you call him, will get on, but I do know that if you call my duds a ‘livery’ again there'll be trouble. It's bad enough to go around togged out like a life saver on a drill day, but I can stand that 'cause I'm paid for it. What I won't stand is to have them togs called a livery. […]”
    • J. M. Bennett
      By wearing livery, the brewers publicly expressed guild association and solidarity.
  2. The paint scheme of a vehicle or fleet of vehicles.
    The airline's new livery received a mixed reaction from the press.
  3. (US) A taxicab or limousine.
  4. (law) The delivery of property from one owner to the next.
  5. (law) The writ by which property is obtained.
  6. (historical) The rental of horses or carriages; the rental of canoes; the care and/or boarding of horses for money.
    • Lowell
      Pegasus does not stand at livery even at the largest establishment in Moorfields.
  7. (historical) A stable that keeps horses or carriages for rental.
  8. An allowance of food; a ration, as given out to a family, to servants, to horses, etc.
    • Cavendish
      The emperor's officers every night went through the town from house to house whereat any English gentleman did repast or lodge, and served their liveries for all night: first, the officers brought into the house a cast of fine manchet [white bread], and of silver two great post, and white wine, and sugar.
  9. Release from wardship; deliverance.
    • Milton
      It concerned them first to sue out their livery from the unjust wardship of his encroaching prerogative.
  10. A low grade of wool.

Derived terms

  • livery stable

Translations

Verb

livery (third-person singular simple present liveries, present participle liverying, simple past and past participle liveried)

  1. (archaic) To clothe.
    He liveried his servants in the most modest of clothing.

Translations

Alternative forms

Anagrams