|
|
Definition of Esquire
1. Noun. (Middle Ages) an attendant and shield bearer to a knight; a candidate for knighthood.
Generic synonyms: Attendant, Attender, Tender
Category relationships: Dark Ages, Middle Ages
2. Noun. A title of respect for a member of the English gentry ranking just below a knight; placed after the name.
Geographical relationships: Britain, Great Britain, U.k., Uk, United Kingdom, United Kingdom Of Great Britain And Northern Ireland
Generic synonyms: Adult Male, Man
Definition of Esquire
1. n. 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.
2. v. t. To wait on as an esquire or attendant in public; to attend.
Definition of Esquire
1. Noun. (archaic) a squire; a youth who in the hopes of becoming a knight attended upon a knight ¹
2. Noun. a lawyer ¹
3. Noun. (obsolete) a shield-bearer, but also applied to other attendants. ¹
4. Noun. a male member of the gentry ranking below a knight ¹
5. Noun. an honorific sometimes placed after a man's name ¹
6. Noun. A gentleman who attends or escorts a lady in public. ¹
7. Verb. (transitive, obsolete) To attend, wait on, escort. ¹
8. Noun. (heraldry) A bearing somewhat resembling a gyron, but extending across the field so that the point touches the opposite edge of the escutcheon. ¹
¹ Source: wiktionary.com
Definition of Esquire
1. to escort [v -QUIRED, -QUIRING, -QUIRES] - See also: escort
Medical Definition of Esquire
1. 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. 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. Origin: OF. Escuyer, escuier, properly, a shield-bearer, F. Ecuyer 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. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)
Lexicographical Neighbors of Esquire
Literary usage of Esquire
Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:
1. A Survey of London by John Stow (1908)
"... lohn Tirel esquire, Simon Kempe esquire, lames Manthorpe esquire, ... and then
to Sir Thomas Mortimer, lohn Ashfield esquire, Sir lohn Dedham knight, ..."
2. Later Stuart Tracts by George Atherton Aitken (1903)
"The discourse that passed between NICHOLAS FROG and esquire SOUTH, which JOHN BULL
... I think the rogue should be compelled to do his duty esquire South. ..."
3. The Harleian Miscellany: Or, A Collection of Scarce, Curious, and by William Oldys, John Malham (1810)
"And, if the esquire do come before dinner, he shall carry up one dish of the ...
And, after this, the esquire's governors shall conduct the esquire that is ..."
Other Resources:
