fyrd en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /fɪɹd/
- /fɚd/
- /fɝd/
- (US) audio
Etymology
Learned borrowing from Old English fyrd.
Meanings
-
(historical) In early Anglo-Saxon times, an army that was mobilized from freemen to defend their shire, or from select representatives to join a royal expedition.
Below the king were the eoldermen, the ruling nobility. The eolderman was the king's 'viceroy' in a shire, responsible for administration and justice, for calling out the fyrd and leading its forces in the field.
Regia Anglorum - Anglo-Saxon Social Organisation
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| fyrds | Number=Plur | lexicographic |