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esquire

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esquire


  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Esquire  \Es*quire"\,  n.  [OF.  escuyer  escuier  properly,  a 
  shield-bearer,  F.  ['e]cuyer  shield-bearer,  armor-bearer, 
  squire  of  a  knight,  esquire,  equerry,  rider,  horseman,  LL 
  scutarius  shield-bearer,  fr  L.  scutum  shield,  akin  to  Gr  ? 
  skin,  hide,  from  a  root  meaning  to  cover;  prob.  akin  to  E. 
  hide  to  cover.  See  {Hide}  to  cover,  and  cf  {Equerry}, 
  {Escutcheon}.] 
  Originally,  a  shield-bearer  or  armor-bearer,  an  attendant  on 
  a  knight;  in  modern  times,  a  title  of  dignity  next  in  degree 
  below  knight  and  above  gentleman;  also  a  title  of  office  and 
  courtesy;  --  often  shortened  to  squire. 
 
  Note:  In  England,  the  title  of  esquire  belongs  by  right  of 
  birth  to  the  eldest  sons  of  knights  and  their  eldest 
  sons  in  perpetual  succession;  to  the  eldest  sons  of 
  younger  sons  of  peers  and  their  eldest  sons  in 
  perpetual  succession.  It  is  also  given  to  sheriffs,  to 
  justices  of  the  peace  while  in  commission,  to  those  who 
  bear  special  office  in  the  royal  household,  to 
  counselors  at  law,  bachelors  of  divinity,  law,  or 
  physic,  and  to  others  In  the  United  States  the  title 
  is  commonly  given  in  courtesy  to  lawyers  and  justices 
  of  the  peace,  and  is  often  used  in  the  superscription 
  of  letters  instead  of  Mr 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Esquire  \Es*quire"\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Esquired};  p.  pr  & 
  vb  n.  {Esquiring}.] 
  To  wait  on  as  an  esquire  or  attendant  in  public;  to  attend. 
  [Colloq.] 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  esquire 
  n  1:  (in  medieval  England)  an  attendant  and  shield  bearer  to  a 
  knight;  a  candidate  for  knighthood 
  2:  (British)  a  title  of  respect  for  a  member  of  the  English 
  gentry  ranking  just  below  a  knight;  placed  after  the  name 
  [syn:  {Esquire},  {Esq}] 
  v  :  accompany  as  an  escort  [syn:  {escort}] 




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