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arrière-ban

[ar-ee-er-ban; French a ryer-bahn]
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noun, plural ar·ri·ère-bans [ar-ee-er-banz; French a ryer-bahn] /ˈær iˌɛrˈbænz; French a ryɛrˈbɑ̃/.
  1. a group of vassals who owed military service, especially to French kings.
  2. the summoning by a medieval ruler of all vassals and free men for military service.
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Origin of arrière-ban

1515–25; < French, alteration (by association with arrière behind, rear; see arrear) of Old French arban, herban < Germanic; compare Old High German hari army, ban ban2
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
British Dictionary definitions for arriere-ban

arrière-ban

noun
  1. (in medieval France) a summons to the king's vassals to do military service
  2. the vassals so assembled for military service
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Word Origin

C16: changed from Old French herban call to arms, of Germanic origin; compare Old High German heriban, from heri army + ban summons, ban ²
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012