Ancient demesne

Ancient demesne
Ancient An"cient, a. [OE. auncien, F. ancien, LL. antianus, fr. L. ante before. See {Ante-}, pref.] 1. Old; that happened or existed in former times, usually at a great distance of time; belonging to times long past; specifically applied to the times before the fall of the Roman empire; -- opposed to {modern}; as, ancient authors, literature, history; ancient days. [1913 Webster]

Witness those ancient empires of the earth. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

Gildas Albanius . . . much ancienter than his namesake surnamed the Wise. --Fuller. [1913 Webster]

2. Old; that has been of long duration; of long standing; of great age; as, an ancient forest; an ancient castle. ``Our ancient bickerings.'' --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Remove not the ancient landmarks, which thy fathers have set. --Prov. xxii. 28. [1913 Webster]

An ancient man, strangely habited, asked for quarters. --Scott. [1913 Webster]

3. Known for a long time, or from early times; -- opposed to {recent} or {new}; as, the ancient continent. [1913 Webster]

A friend, perhaps, or an ancient acquaintance. --Barrow. [1913 Webster]

4. Dignified, like an aged man; magisterial; venerable. [Archaic] [1913 Webster]

He wrought but some few hours of the day, and then would he seem very grave and ancient. --Holland. [1913 Webster]

5. Experienced; versed. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

Though [he] was the youngest brother, yet he was the most ancient in the business of the realm. --Berners. [1913 Webster]

6. Former; sometime. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

They mourned their ancient leader lost. --Pope. [1913 Webster]

{Ancient demesne} (Eng. Law), a tenure by which all manors belonging to the crown, in the reign of William the Conqueror, were held. The numbers, names, etc., of these were all entered in a book called Domesday Book.

{Ancient lights} (Law), windows and other openings which have been enjoined without molestation for more than twenty years. In England, and in some of the United States, they acquire a prescriptive right. [1913 Webster]

Syn: Old; primitive; pristine; antique; antiquated; old-fashioned; obsolete.

Usage: {Ancient}, {Antiquated}, {Obsolete}, {Antique}, {Antic}, {Old}. -- Ancient is opposed to modern, and has antiquity; as, an ancient family, ancient landmarks, ancient institutions, systems of thought, etc. Antiquated describes that which has gone out of use or fashion; as, antiquated furniture, antiquated laws, rules, etc. Obsolete is commonly used, instead of antiquated, in reference to language, customs, etc.; as, an obsolete word or phrase, an obsolete expression. Antique is applied, in present usage, either to that which has come down from the ancients; as, an antique cameo, bust, etc.; or to that which is made to imitate some ancient work of art; as, an antique temple. In the days of Shakespeare, antique was often used for ancient; as, ``an antique song,'' ``an antique Roman;'' and hence, from singularity often attached to what is ancient, it was used in the sense of grotesque; as, ``an oak whose antique root peeps out; '' and hence came our present word antic, denoting grotesque or ridiculous. We usually apply both ancient and old to things subject to gradual decay. We say, an old man, an ancient record; but never, the old stars, an old river or mountain. In general, however, ancient is opposed to modern, and old to new, fresh, or recent. When we speak of a thing that existed formerly, which has ceased to exist, we commonly use ancient; as, ancient republics, ancient heroes; and not old republics, old heroes. But when the thing which began or existed in former times is still in existence, we use either ancient or old; as, ancient statues or paintings, or old statues or paintings; ancient authors, or old authors, meaning books. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Ancient demesne — Demesne De*mesne , n. [OE. demeine, demain, rule, demesne, OF. demeine, demaine, demeigne, domaine, power, F. domaine domain, fr. L. dominium property, right of ownership, fr. dominus master, proprietor, owner. See {Dame}, and cf. {Demain},… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • ancient demesne — Manors which in the time of William the Conqueror were in the hands of the crown, and are so recorded in the Domesday Also, in old English law, a species of copyhold, which differs, however, from common copyholds in certain privileges, but yet… …   Black's law dictionary

  • ancient demesne — Manors which in the time of William the Conqueror were in the hands of the crown, and are so recorded in the Domesday Also, in old English law, a species of copyhold, which differs, however, from common copyholds in certain privileges, but yet… …   Black's law dictionary

  • ancient demesne — noun : demesne held from ancient times; specifically : the demesne belonging to the English crown at the time of the settlement of the Norman Conquest as recorded in the Domesday Book …   Useful english dictionary

  • Ancient Demesne — See: Demesne, Ancient …   Medieval glossary

  • court of ancient demesne — A court held by the king s bailiff for tenants of the king s demesne. Some tenants in ancient demesne had special immunities and favors granted to them, such as to try the right of their property in the court of ancient demesne, by a peculiar… …   Ballentine's law dictionary

  • Demesne — De*mesne , n. [OE. demeine, demain, rule, demesne, OF. demeine, demaine, demeigne, domaine, power, F. domaine domain, fr. L. dominium property, right of ownership, fr. dominus master, proprietor, owner. See {Dame}, and cf. {Demain}, {Domain},… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Ancient — An cient, a. [OE. auncien, F. ancien, LL. antianus, fr. L. ante before. See {Ante }, pref.] 1. Old; that happened or existed in former times, usually at a great distance of time; belonging to times long past; specifically applied to the times… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Ancient lights — Ancient An cient, a. [OE. auncien, F. ancien, LL. antianus, fr. L. ante before. See {Ante }, pref.] 1. Old; that happened or existed in former times, usually at a great distance of time; belonging to times long past; specifically applied to the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Court of Ancient Demesne — In English law, a court of peculiar constitution, held by a bailiff appointed by the king, in which alone the tenants of the king s demesne could be impleaded …   Black's law dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”