Dictionary

lordship en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈlɔːd.ʃɪp/ (UK)
• /ˈlɔɹd.ʃɪp/ (US)
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Middle English lordschipe, from Old English hlāfordsċiepe, equivalent to lord + -ship. Cognate with Scots lairdschip. Doublet of lairdship.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) The state or condition of being a lord.
   • Lordship entails both privilege and responsibility. Lords have power over their subjects, but that power is granted them so that they can protect and provide for others. 2011, Daniel Frankforter, Word of God - Words of Men: The Use and Abuse of Scripture, page 93:
   • For example, we know that Alfred did connect land tenure with lordship and that he was particularly interested in questions of military service[…] 2004, Alice Sheppard, Families of the King: Writing Identity in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, page 27:
2. (broadly, capitalized, countable, often, uncountable, with "his" or "your") Title applied to a lord, bishop, judge, or another man with a title.
   • May I ask that the order be granted, if your lordship so pleases?
   • 'He's had his bath,' she said. 'He's just had his bath, bless his little lordship's heart.' 1946, Mervyn Peake, Titus Groan:
   • Charles had not been employed above six months at Darracott Place, but he was not such a whopstraw as to make the least noise in the performance of his duties when his lordship was out of humour. 1959, Georgette Heyer, chapter 1, in The Unknown Ajax:
3. (countable, humorous, uncountable, with "his" or "your") A man (sometimes a boy) who is behaving in a seigneurial manner or acting like a lord, behaving in a bossy manner or lording it up
4. (countable, uncountable) Seigniory; domain; the territory over which a lord holds jurisdiction; a manor.
   • […]for whose ransom he compelled Lord Percy to build the castle of Punnoon, in the lordship of Eaglesham. 1832, John Burke, A General and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire, volume I, page 425:
   • What lands and lordships for their owner know / My quondam barber, but his worship now. c. 1690, Juvenal, translated by John Dryden, The Tenth Satire of Juvenal:
5. (countable, uncountable) Dominion; power; authority.
   • But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Mark 10:42:

Forms

Relateds

Your Honour · your Grace · ladyship · Your Honor

Translations (49)

bg владение (seigniory, domain, territory ruled by a lord) · fi ylhäisyys (title) · es señorío (seigniory, domain, territory ruled by a lord) · fi lordius (state or condition of being a lord) · es esfera (seigniory, domain, territory ruled by a lord) · fi lordikunta (seigniory, domain, territory ruled by a lord) · la Dominus (title) · gd tighearnas (seigniory, domain, territory ruled by a lord) · mk власт (dominion, power, authority) · enm lordschipe (seigniory, domain, territory ruled by a lord) · gd an Tighearna (title) · de der Herr (title) · ca castellania (seigniory, domain, territory ruled by a lord) · cy yr Arglwydd (title) · ru све́тлость (title) · mk го́сподство (title) · la dominātiō (dominion, power, authority) · it il Signore (title) · ru мило́рд (title) · xeb 𒂗𒌋𒌓 (state or condition of being a lord) · enm lordschipe (title) · bg благородие (title) · fr seigneurie (seigniory, domain, territory ruled by a lord) · es señoría (title) · fi herruus (dominion, power, authority) · got 𐍅𐌰𐌻𐌳𐌿𐍆𐌽𐌹 (dominion, power, authority) · enm lordschipe (state or condition of being a lord) · ar سِيَادَة (state or condition of being a lord) · fr le Seigneur (title) · enm lordschipe (dominion, power, authority) · ar رُبُوبِيَّة (state or condition of being a lord) · pl Pan (title) · ga tiarnas (dominion, power, authority) · got 𐍆𐍂𐌰𐌿𐌾𐌹𐌽𐌰𐍃𐍃𐌿𐍃 (state or condition of being a lord) · it signoria (seigniory, domain, territory ruled by a lord) · bg власт (dominion, power, authority) · de Herrschaft (seigniory, domain, territory ruled by a lord) · ca castellania (state or condition of being a lord) · nl heerlijkheid (seigniory, domain, territory ruled by a lord) · ga tiarnas (seigniory, domain, territory ruled by a lord) · gd tighearnachd (seigniory, domain, territory ruled by a lord) · fr Monsieur (title) · es el Señor (title) · mk госпо́дарство (state or condition of being a lord) · pt o Senhor (title) · pt domínio (seigniory, domain, territory ruled by a lord) · fi korkeus (title) · mk владе́ние (seigniory, domain, territory ruled by a lord) · ga an Tiarna (title)