%vass%

v. i. To search thoroughly; to engage in solicitation by traversing a district; as, to canvass for subscriptions or for votes; to canvass for a book, a publisher, or in behalf of a charity; -- commonly followed by for. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. Close inspection; careful review for verification; as, a canvass of votes. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Examination in the way of discussion or debate. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Search; exploration; solicitation; systematic effort to obtain votes, subscribers, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

No previous canvass was made for me. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who canvasses. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F. See Crevice. ] 1. A deep crevice or fissure, as in embankment; one of the clefts or fissure by which the mass of a glacier is divided. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A breach in the levee or embankment of a river, caused by the pressure of the water, as on the lower Mississippi. [ U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To make a vassal of. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Kavasses ety>[ Turk. kāvvās ] An armed constable; also, a government servant or courier. [ Turkey ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Russ. kvas'. ] A thin, sour beer, made by pouring warm water on rye or barley meal and letting it ferment, -- much used by the Russians. [ written also quas and quass. ] [ 1913 Webster + PJC ]

n. [ F., fr. LL. vassallus, vassus; of Celtic origin; cf. W. & Corn. gwas a youth, page, servant, Arm. gwaz a man, a male. Cf. Valet, Varlet, Vavasor. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. (Feud. Law) The grantee of a fief, feud, or fee; one who holds land of a superior, and who vows fidelity and homage to him; a feudatory; a feudal tenant. Burrill. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A subject; a dependent; a servant; a bondman; a slave. “The vassals of his anger.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Rear vassal, the vassal of a vassal; an arriere vassal. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Resembling a vassal; slavish; servile. [ 1913 Webster ]

The sun and every vassal star. Keble. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To treat as a vassal; to subject to control; to enslave. [ Obs. ] Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. vassalage, F. vasselage, LL. vassallaticum. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The state of being a vassal, or feudatory. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Political servitude; dependence; subjection; slavery; as, the Greeks were held in vassalage by the Turks. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A territory held in vassalage. “The Countship of Foix, with six territorial vassalages.” Milman. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Vassals, collectively; vassalry. [ R. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Valorous service, such as that performed by a vassal; valor; prowess; courage. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A female vassal. [ R. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]