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Chiefery
Definitions
- 1 The status or role of a chief; chieftainship. countable, uncountable
""Then those lands in the County of Cavan which was O'Rilie's country are all holden of the King ; and because the captainship or chiefery of O'Rilie is abolished by act of Parliament by Stat. 2d of Elizabeth, and also because, two of the chief lords elected by the country have been lately slain in rebellion (which is an attainder in law), these lands are holden immediately of his Majesty."
- 2 The land ruled over by a chief; chieftainship. countable, uncountable
"I have said that Tautira was a large and powerful chiefery on the eastern side of the peninsula Taiarapu, which was balanced by Teahupoo, another large chiefery at the southern end."
- 3 The form of government in which people are ruled by a chief. countable, uncountable
"The conquest of new territories made it possible for the Zarma society to settle in hamlets and develop a political organization that assumed the characteristics of a chiefery."
- 4 A colonial administrative centre. countable, uncountable
"After dinner at the chiefery we assembled on the courtyard veranda to hear the singing of the Papara himeme chorus."
- 5 The leaders or chiefs of a people, collectively. countable, uncountable
"If, as seems certain, the Hui Arii contingent intermarried with the local chiefery, this acceptance of the gods of the land would have been inevitable."
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- 6 An Irish head tax countable, historical, uncountable
"By procuring his Majesty to release to several Irish papists, some whereof were deeply engaged in the horrid rebellion of that kingdom, the chiefery's or head-rents reserved to the crown, out of the forfeited estates of papists Papists there, being a principal part of his majesty's revenue in that kingdom."
Etymology
From chief + -ery. Piecewise doublet of cheffery.
See also for "chiefery"
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