Lĭv'er-y1, n.
n. [O. Fr. livrée, a gift of clothes made by the master to his servants, properly a thing delivered, from Fr. livrer, to deliver; It. livrea, Sp. librea, L. Lat. livrea, livreia, liberata, liberatio, delivery. See DELIVER.]
Sense 1. (Eng. Law.) (a.) The act of delivering possession of lands or tenements.
☞ 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, no such ceremony is necessary to a conveyance of real estate, the delivery of a deed being sufficient.
(b.) The writ by which possession is obtained.
Sense 2. Release from wardship; deliverance.
Death fewer liveries gives Than life. Chapman.
It concerned them first to sue out their livery from the unjust wardship of his encroaching prerogative. Milton.
Sense 3. That which is delivered out statedly or formally, as clothing, food, &c.; especially, (a.) The badge or uniform clothing given by barons and others to their retainers when in military service; and hence, sometimes, the different divisions of an army distinguished from each other by such uniform. [Obs.] Halliwell. (b.) Hence, 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, and the like; also, the whole body or company of those 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 Tapiser, Were all yclothed in a livere Of a solempne and grete 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.” 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, &c.
The emperor’s officers every night went through the town from house to house whereat any English gentleman did rest 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, with white wine, and sugar. Cavendish.
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.
Livery gown, the gown worn by a livery-man in London.