escuage

== English == === Etymology === Inherited from Middle English scuage, from Old French escuage; in Modern English, remodelled on the Old French etymon. === Noun === escuage (countable and uncountable, plural escuages) (historical, Middle Ages) Payment to a lord in lieu of military service. 1829, George Crabb, History of English Law, 1831 American Edition, page 374, When the escuage which was to be paid was uncertain, being more or less according to the pleasure of the king or the assessment of parliament ; then the tenure by escuage was a sort of knight′s service. 1866, Land Tax, entry in William Thomas Brande, George William Cox (editors), A Dictionary of Science, Literature, & Art, Volume 2, page 308, These escuages were virtually a very heavy land tax […] == Old French == === Etymology === Either from escu (“shield”) +‎ -age, or escuer (“to evade”) +‎ -age. === Noun === escuage oblique singular, m (oblique plural escuages, nominative singular escuages, nominative plural escuage) escuage (medieval payment to a lord) ==== Descendants ==== → Middle English: scuage, skuage, skwageEnglish: escuage (restored from the etymon)