vassal

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++

Related topics: Citizenship, Government

vas·sal /ˈvæsəl/ noun [countable]  1. PGCa man in the Middle Ages who was given land to live on by a lord in return for promising to work or fight for him 〔中世纪领主下面的〕封臣，家臣〔对国君或领主效忠，作为回报获封土地〕2  formalPG a country that is controlled by another country (附)属国 a vassal state 附庸国

Examples from the Corpus

vassal• He was a vassal, as indeed his father had been forty years earlier.• The whistle was lord; they were all vassals.• Why are employees treated as vassals by the pension funds?• Theoretically they should follow the lead of the Warbutt if he commands them; they are his vassals.• But they too posed a threat, for there were few of his vassals whom he could trust.• Since he was already a papal vassal Sancho found the powers of the Church difficult to check.• If his creditors allowed him to be, he would be their vassal for life.• Yet even with vassals of the same class, there might be differences.Origin vassal (1300-1400) Old French Medieval Latin vassallus, from vassus “servant”

vas·sal nounChineseSyllable  

Corpus Ages who a Middle man was land given the in

vassal
vas‧sal /ˈvæsəl/ noun [countable]1. a man in the Middle Ages who was given land to live on by a lord in return for promising to work or fight for him
2. formal a country that is controlled by another country:
    a vassal state

vas·salBrE /ˈvæsl/ 🔊NAmE /ˈvæsl/ 🔊 nouna man in the Middle Ages who promised to fight for and be loyal to a king or other powerful owner of land, in return for being given land to live on 封臣，家臣（中世纪为国王或其他权贵效忠的受封者）a country that depends on and is controlled by another country 附庸国；属国