feud

n. [ LL. feudum, feodum prob. of same origin as E. fief. See Fief, Fee. ] (Law) A stipendiary estate in land, held of a superior, by service; the right which a vassal or tenant had to the lands or other immovable thing of his lord, to use the same and take the profits thereof hereditarily, rendering to his superior such duties and services as belong to military tenure, etc., the property of the soil always remaining in the lord or superior; a fief; a fee. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ F. féodal, or LL. feudalis. ] 1. Of or pertaining to feuds, fiefs, or fees; as, feudal rights or services; feudal tenures. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Consisting of, or founded upon, feuds or fiefs; embracing tenures by military services; as, the feudal system. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. féodalisme. ] The feudal system; a system by which the holding of estates in land is made dependent upon an obligation to render military service to the king or feudal superior; feudal principles and usages. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An upholder of feudalism. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. féodalité. ] The state or quality of being feudal; feudal form or constitution. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of reducing to feudal tenure. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Feudalized p. pr. & vb. n. Feudalizing ] To reduce to a feudal tenure; to conform to feudalism. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a feudal manner. [ 1913 Webster ]