angary

Meanings

1. The right of one belligerent (government) in a conflict to seize, use or destroy the property of another belligerent or neutral state, or the private citizens thereof, provided compensation is paid.

Etymology

From French angarie, from Late Latin angaria (“forced service”) from Ancient Greek ἀγγαρεία (angareía, “the office of a courier or messenger”), from ἄγγαρος (ángaros, “courier”), from Old Persian *𐎠𐎥𐎼𐎠 (*a-g-r-a /⁠*angarā⁠/, “missive, letter”), from Aramaic *𐡀𐡍‬𐡂𐡓‬𐡀 (*ʾn‬gr‬ʾ /⁠*ʾengarā⁠/), form of *𐡀𐡍‬𐡂𐡓‬𐡕𐡀 (*ʾn‬gr‬tʾ /⁠*ʾengartā⁠/), variant of 𐡀𐡂𐡓‬𐡕𐡀 (ʾgr‬tʾ /⁠ʾiggartā⁠/), 𐡀𐡍‬𐡂𐡓𐡕‬𐡀 (ʾn‬grt‬ʾ /⁠ʾengirtā⁠/, “missive, letter; contract”), from Akkadian 𒂊𒄈𒌅 (egirtu, “inscribed tablet; oracle of fate, ambiguous wording; contract, bound deal”), from 𒄃 (egēru, “to be difficult, to be twisted or locked together; to have a twisted tongue, to be unable to speak against an order”). See also Classical Syriac ܐܓܪܬܐ (ʾeggarṯā, “letter, document”).