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1. (n.) thane
(in Anglo-Saxon England) a person ranking between an earl and an ordinary freeman, holding land of the king or a lord in return for services.
2. thane
(in medieval Scotland) a person holding land of the king; a baron.
Etymology: (bef. 900; late ME, Scots var. of ME thain, thein, OE thegn, c. OS
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| Definition of 'thane' |
Princeton's WordNet |
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1. (noun) thane
a feudal lord or baron
2. (noun) thane
a man ranking above an ordinary freeman and below a noble in Anglo-Saxon England (especially one who gave military service in exchange for land)
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| Definition of 'thane' |
Webster Dictionary |
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1. (noun) thane
a dignitary under the Anglo-Saxons and Danes in England. Of these there were two orders, the king's thanes, who attended the kings in their courts and held lands immediately of them, and the ordinary thanes, who were lords of manors and who had particular jurisdiction within their limits. After the Conquest, this title was disused, and baron took its place
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| Definitions of 'thane' |
The Nuttall Encyclopedia |
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1. thane
or Thegn, a title of social distinction among the Anglo-Saxons, bestowed, in the first instance, upon men bound in military service to the king, and who came to form a nobility of service as distinguished from a nobility of blood; these obtained grants of land, and had thegns under them; in this way the class of thegns widened; subsequently the name was allowed to the ceorl who had acquired four hides of land and fulfilled certain requirements; after the Norman Conquest the thegnhood practically embraced the knighthood; the name dropped out of use after Henry II.'s reign, but lasted longer in Scotland.
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Definitions of thane 
