corvée

The villagers were required to perform corvée labor on the lord's estate.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • Unpaid labor: "corvée" refers to a system of forced, unpaid labor that individuals, especially peasants, are required to perform for the state or a feudal lord. This labor is typically demanded as a form of tax or duty, rather than being voluntary or compensated.
   • Historical obligation: In historical contexts, "corvée" specifically denotes the compulsory work on public projects, such as building roads, bridges, or fortifications, that was imposed on subjects by a ruler or government.

Usage Examples

• (Unpaid labor required by a feudal lord.)
• (Compulsory work on a public project.)

Advanced Usage

• "corvée labor": a specific term for the type of work performed under this system.

  • Corvée labor was a common practice in many pre-industrial societies, where it functioned as a form of taxation. (The compulsory, unpaid work demanded by authorities.)

• "to impose corvée": to require such labor from a population.

  • The king decided to impose corvée on the local farmers to build the new castle. (The king forced the farmers to work without pay for the castle's construction.)

Variants and Related Words

• Corvée system (n): the structured arrangement of requiring unpaid labor as a duty.
  • The corvée system was abolished in many countries during the 19th century. (The system of forced labor was ended.)

Synonyms

• Forced labor: work that is compelled under threat of punishment.
• Conscripted labor: labor required by law or authority, often for public works.
• Statute labor: a historical term for compulsory work on roads or public projects.

Related Idioms

(Note: "corvée" is a specific historical/legal term and does not commonly appear in idioms.)