English Explanatory Dictionary

frankpledge

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A form of collective suretyship and punishment under English law among the members of a tithing.
  2. Any group so similarly answerable for the conduct of all its members and liable for collective punishment.
  3. A decener: a member of a tithing bound in frankpledge.
  4. The tithing itself.

Word forms

frankpledge frankpledges frank-pledge frankenpledge

Etymology

From Anglo-Latin franciplegium, a Latinization of Anglo-Norman frauncplege ("free pledge"), a mistranslation of Old English friðborh ("pledge of peace"), which had the corrupted form friborh, which led to the Modern English term friborg, as if it were *freoborh ("free pledge"). See also friborg, which refers to the predecessor of frankpledge.

Derived words

view of frankpledge
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