Definition

1. Noun:
   • A British volunteer cavalry force: A military unit, originally organized in 1761 for home defense, composed of volunteers. It was later integrated into the Territorial Army.
   • A class of small freeholders: A social class comprising small landowners who farm their own land.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Military):
  • The yeomanry was called upon to assist during the civil unrest.
  • He served with distinction in the local yeomanry for over a decade.
• Noun (Social Class):
  • The yeomanry formed the backbone of the rural economy in that era.
  • Historians study the decline of the English yeomanry in the 19th century.

Advanced Usage

• Collective Noun: The term "yeomanry" can be used with a singular or plural verb when referring to the group as a whole.
  • The yeomanry was a respected institution. (Singular, referring to the unit)
  • The yeomanry were landowners of modest means. (Plural, referring to the class members)

Variants and Related Words

• Yeoman (noun): An individual belonging to this social class; a petty officer in the navy or a clerical worker in the U.S. Navy.
  • The farm was worked by a yeoman and his family.

Synonyms

• Militia (for the military sense): A military force raised from the civilian population.
• Freeholders (for the social class sense): Owners of land held in freehold.
• Smallholders: Owners of a small agricultural holding.

Notes on Meaning

• The term has two distinct primary meanings: one historical-military and one historical-social. The context of the sentence determines which meaning is intended.
• In modern usage, the military sense is largely historical, and the social class sense is used primarily in historical or sociological contexts.

Noun

1. a British volunteer cavalry force organized in 1761 for home defense later incorporated into the Territorial Army
2. class of small freeholders who cultivated their own land