essoin

[ih-soin]

noun

1. (in England) an excuse for nonappearance in a court of law at the prescribed time.

Word History and Origins

Origin of essoin¹

1300–50; Middle English essoine < Anglo-French, Old French essoigne, essoine, noun derivative of essoinier to put forward such an excuse, verbal derivative (with es- ex- ¹ ) of sogne, ultimately < Old Low Franconian *sunnja legal excuse, care (compare Old Saxon sunnea, Old Norse syn denial, Gothic sunja truth)

Example Sentences

The abbot thereupon offered himself several times without any essoin.

From Project Gutenberg

There is something ascetic and impracticable in his very constitution, and he answers to the description of the Monk in Spenser— From every work he challenged essoin For contemplation's sake.

From Project Gutenberg