mortpay en · NOUN
Etymology
From French mort (“dead”) + English pay.
Meanings
-
(historical, obsolete) The crime of taking pay for the service of dead soldiers, or for services not actually rendered by soldiers.
the severe punishing of mortpays and keeping back soldiers' wages in captain
1622, Francis, Lord Verulam, Viscount St. Alban [i.e. Francis Bacon], The Historie of the Raigne of King Henry the Seventh, […], London: […] W[illiam] Stansby for Matthew Lownes, and William Barret, →OCLC:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| mortpays | Number=Plur | lexicographic |