Definition

1. Noun:
   • A feudal tenure of land involving payment of rent or provision of agricultural service to a lord, specifically exempt from military obligations: In medieval English law, socage was a form of land tenure where the tenant held land in exchange for a fixed, non-military service, such as paying money rent or performing agricultural work for the lord.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The manor's records showed that several plots were held in socage, requiring the tenants to pay an annual fee.
  • Unlike knights who held land by knight-service, free peasants often held their land by socage.

Advanced Usage

• "Tenure in socage": The legal state or condition of holding land under socage terms.

  • The charter granted the land to him and his heirs in tenure by socage.

• "Free socage": A specific type of socage where the services rendered were certain and honorable, not base or menial.

  • His estate was held in free socage, which was considered a privileged form of tenure.

Variants and Related Words

• Socager (noun, historical): A tenant who holds land by socage.
  • The socagers of the village gathered to discuss the rent.

Different Meanings

This word is a historical legal term with one primary meaning related to feudal land tenure. It does not have common modern meanings outside of historical or legal contexts.

Synonyms

• Non-military tenure: A general term for land holding not based on military service.
• Feudal rent tenure: Describes the core concept of holding land for rent.

Idioms

No common idioms use this specific historical term.

Phrasal Verbs

This is a noun and does not have phrasal verbs.

Noun

1. land tenure by agricultural service or payment of rent; not burdened with military service