Hom"age , v. t. [imp. & p. p. Homaged (?);
p. pr. & vb. n.
Homaging.]
[Cf. OF. hommager.]
1. To pay reverence to by external action. [R.]
2. To cause to pay
homage. [Obs.] Cowley.
Hom"age (?), n. [OF. homage,
homenage, F. hommage, LL.
hominaticum, homenaticum, from L. homo a
man, LL. also, a client, servant, vassal; akin to L. humus earth, Gr.&?; on the ground, and E.
groom in bridegroom. Cf. Bridegroom, Human.]
1. (Feud. Law) A symbolical acknowledgment
made by a feudal tenant to, and in the presence of, his lord,
on receiving investiture
of fee, or coming to it
by succession, that he was his man, or vassal; profession of fealty to a sovereign.
2. Respect or reverential regard; deference; especially,
respect paid by external action; obeisance.
All things in heaven and earth do her
[Law] homage.
Hooker. I sought no homage from the race that
write.
Pope. 3. Reverence directed to the Supreme Being; reverential worship; devout affection. Chaucer.
Syn. -- Fealty; submission; reverence;
honor; respect. -- Homage, Fealty.
Homage was originally the act of a feudal tenant by which he
declared himself, on his knees, to be
the hommage or bondman of the lord; hence the term is used to
denote reverential submission or respect. Fealty was originally the fidelity of such a tenant to his
lord, and hence the term denotes a faithful and solemn adherence to the obligations we owe to superior power or authority. We pay our homage to men of preëminent usefulness and virtue, and profess our fealty to the principles by which they
have been guided.
Go, go with homage yon proud victors meet !
Go, lie like dogs beneath your masters' feet !
Dryden. Man, disobeying,
Disloyal,
breaks his fealty, and sins
Against the high supremacy of heaven.
Milton.
Hear it pronounced