Liv"er*y (?), n.; pl.
Liveries (#). [OE. livere, F.
livrée, formerly, a gift of clothes made by the master
to his servants, prop., a thing delivered, fr. livrer to
deliver, L. liberare to set free, in LL., to deliver up. See
Liberate.] 1. (Eng. Law)
(a) The act of delivering possession of lands or
tenements. (b) The writ by which
possession is obtained.
&fist; It is usual to say, livery of seizin, which is a
feudal investiture, made by the delivery of a turf, of a rod, or
twig, from the feoffor to the feoffee. In the United States, and now
in Great Britain, no such ceremony is necessary, the delivery of a
deed being sufficient.
2. Release from wardship;
deliverance.
It concerned them first to sue out their livery
from the unjust wardship of his encroaching prerogative.
Milton.
3. That which is delivered out statedly or
formally, as clothing, food, etc.; especially:
(a) The uniform clothing issued by feudal
superiors to their retainers and serving as a badge when in military
service. (b) The peculiar dress by which
the servants of a nobleman or gentleman are distinguished; as, a
claret-colored livery. (c) Hence,
also, the peculiar dress or garb appropriated by any association or
body of persons to their own use; as, the livery of the London
tradesmen, of a priest, of a charity school, etc.; also, the whole
body or company of persons wearing such a garb, and entitled to the
privileges of the association; as, the whole livery of
London.
A Haberdasher and a Carpenter,
A Webbe, a Dyer, and a Tapicer,
And they were clothed all in one livery
Of a solempne and a gret fraternite.
Chaucer.
From the periodical deliveries of these characteristic
articles of servile costume (blue coats) came our word
livery.
De Quincey.
(d) Hence, any characteristic dress or
outward appearance. " April's livery." Sir P.
Sidney.
Now came still evening on, and twilight gray
Had in her sober livery all things clad.
Milton.
(e) An allowance of food statedly given out;
a ration, as to a family, to servants, to horses, etc.
The emperor's officers every night went through the
town from house to house whereat any English gentleman did repast or
lodge, and served their liveries for all night: first, the
officers brought into the house a cast of fine manchet [white bread],
and of silver two great pots, and white wine, and sugar.
Cavendish.
(f) The feeding, stabling, and care of horses
for compensation; boarding; as, to keep one's horses at
livery.
What livery is, we by common use in England
know well enough, namely, that is, allowance of horse meat, as to
keep horses at livery, the which word, I guess, is derived of
livering or delivering forth their nightly food.
Spenser.
It need hardly be observed that the explanation of
livery which Spenser offers is perfectly correct, but . . . it
is no longer applied to the ration or stated portion of food
delivered at stated periods.
Trench.
(g) The keeping of horses in readiness to be
hired temporarily for riding or driving; the state of being so
kept.
Pegasus does not stand at livery even at the
largest establishment in Moorfields.
Lowell.
4. A low grade of wool.
Livery gown, the gown worn by a liveryman in
London.
Liv"er*y, v. t. To clothe in, or
as in, livery. Shak.
