wapentake
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of wapentake
before 1000; Middle English < Old Norse vāpnatak (compare Old English wǣpen-getæc ) show of weapons at public voting, equivalent to vāpna (genitive plural of vāpn weapon ) + tak taking; see take
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The wapentake and the justice of the quorum remained where they were, allowing Gwynplaine to advance alone.
From The Man Who Laughs by Hugo, Victor
The wapentake turned round in one motion, like a piece of mechanism revolving on its own pivot, and with grave and magisterial step proceeded towards the door of the Green Box.
From The Man Who Laughs by Hugo, Victor
We believe that even the word "wapentake" has changed its meaning.
From The Man Who Laughs by Hugo, Victor
The Duchess Josiana left London at the very moment that the wapentake appeared at the Tadcaster Inn to arrest Gwynplaine and take him to the torture cell of Southwark.
From The Man Who Laughs by Hugo, Victor
The origin of the wapentake is woepenge-toc, woepentac, from the Icelandic vapnatak.
From Cathedral Cities of England by Gilbert, George
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
