Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun The medieval system, principles, and customs of knighthood.
- noun The qualities idealized by knighthood, such as bravery, courtesy, honor, and gallantry toward women.
- noun A manifestation of any of these qualities.
- noun A group of knights or gallant gentlemen.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun Knighthood; the medieval system of military privileges, with its peculiar honorary titles and aristocratic limitations of honorable position to the possessors of those titles, founded upon the several degrees of military service rendered on horseback. See
knight . - noun That which pertains to knighthood; the usages and customs pertaining to the order of knighthood; the ideal qualifications of a knight, collectively, as courtesy, generosity, valor, and dexterity in arms; the ideal of knighthood.
- noun A knightly adventure, exploit, or mode of action.
- noun An order or a body of knights; knights or warriors collectively; any company of illustrious warriors.
- noun In English law, a tenure of lands by knight's service—that is, by the condition of performing service on horseback, or of performing some noble or military service to the lord. See
knight-service and tenure.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun A body or order of cavaliers or knights serving on horseback; illustrious warriors, collectively; cavalry.
- noun The dignity or system of knighthood; the spirit, usages, or manners of knighthood; the practice of knight-errantry.
- noun The qualifications or character of knights, as valor, dexterity in arms, courtesy, etc.
- noun (Eng. Law) A tenure of lands by knight's service; that is, by the condition of a knight's performing service on horseback, or of performing some noble or military service to his lord.
- noun obsolete Exploit.
- noun a court formerly held before the lord high constable and earl marshal of England as judges, having cognizance of contracts and other matters relating to deeds of arms and war.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun historical
Cavalry ; horsemen armed for battle. - noun obsolete The fact or condition of being a
knight ; knightly skill, prowess. - noun The ethical code of the
knight prevalent in MedievalEurope , having such primary virtues asmercy towards the poor and oppressed,humility ,honor ,sacrifice , fear ofGod ,faithfulness ,courage and utmostgraciousness andcourtesy to ladies. - noun Courtesy, respect and honorable conduct between opponents in wartime.
- noun Courteous behavior, especially that of men towards women.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun courtesy towards women
- noun the medieval principles governing knighthood and knightly conduct
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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This people — I mean the more lofty-minded of these crusaders, who act up to the pretences of the doctrines which they call chivalry — despise the thirst of gold, and gold itself, unless to hilt their swords, or to furnish forth some necessary expenses, as alike useless and contemptible.
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It was also a vehicle for that element which we call chivalry, which the church infused into it to fashion and mould the rude soldiers of feudal times into Christian knights, and, as it
The Book of the Epic 1894
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This people -- I mean the more lofty-minded of these crusaders, who act up to the pretences of the doctrines which they call chivalry -- despise the thirst of gold, and gold itself, unless to hilt their swords, or to furnish forth some necessary expenses, as alike useless and contemptible.
Waverley Novels — Volume 12 Walter Scott 1801
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Anyway, on the topic of gender (since you brought it up), I'm not being chauvinistic or anything (although technically chivalry is chauvinistic, and most women seem to love it), but I think it's telling that there has never been a female in the Navy SEALS.
Tom McIntyre Explains His Picks for our 2009 Hunting and Fishing Heroes and Villians Face-Off 2009
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Who says chivalry is dead!!?? agree with robinhood.
Extreme Aerial Bowfishing: Jumping Carp Breaks Woman's Jaw in Illinois 2009
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Anyway, on the topic of gender (since you brought it up), I'm not being chauvinistic or anything (although technically chivalry is chauvinistic, and most women seem to love it), but I think it's telling that there has never been a female in the Navy SEALS.
Tom McIntyre Explains His Picks for our 2009 Hunting and Fishing Heroes and Villians Face-Off 2009
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Anyway, on the topic of gender (since you brought it up), I'm not being chauvinistic or anything (although technically chivalry is chauvinistic, and most women seem to love it), but I think it's telling that there has never been a female in the Navy SEALS.
Tom McIntyre Explains His Picks for our 2009 Hunting and Fishing Heroes and Villians Face-Off 2009
-
Who says chivalry is dead!!?? agree with robinhood.
Extreme Aerial Bowfishing: Jumping Carp Breaks Woman's Jaw in Illinois 2009
-
Anyway, on the topic of gender (since you brought it up), I'm not being chauvinistic or anything (although technically chivalry is chauvinistic, and most women seem to love it), but I think it's telling that there has never been a female in the Navy SEALS.
Tom McIntyre Explains His Picks for our 2009 Hunting and Fishing Heroes and Villians Face-Off 2009
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Ken you might be my exclusive proof that chivalry is not dead, you RULE!
chained_bear commented on the word chivalry
Rules of polite and honorable behavior that knights (gentlemen) were supposed to follow. It did not originally mean courtesy solely toward women. From chevalier.
August 24, 2008
bilby commented on the word chivalry
Only listed 9 times! It's almost dead ...
September 5, 2008
reesetee commented on the word chivalry
*holds door open for bilby after covering mud puddle with overcoat*
September 5, 2008
bilby commented on the word chivalry
Why thank you, kind sir.
September 5, 2008