yeoman, yeman, yom an

[A word of doubtful origin. The most probable etymology is that of Skeat, i. e., from A. S. gá = a district or village, and man; cf. O. Fries. ga, go (pl. gae ) =a dis trict, village, whence gam an =a villager; gafolk = people of a village; Dut. gouw, gouwe a province; O. Dut.gouwe =a hamlet, a country village, or a field; Low Ger. goë, go he =a tract of country; O. H. Ger. gowi, gewi; Ger. gau; Goth. gaw i =a province. Prob. allied to Gr.chora, choros an open space, country, district, land.] I. Ordinary Language : 1. A man po e ed of small estate in land, and not ranking as one of the gentry; a gentleman farmer; a freeholder; a farmer or other person living in the country, and occupying a position between that of a gentleman and a laborer. "I call him a yeoman whom our lawes do call Legalem hominem, a word familiar in writs and enquests, which is free man borne English, and may dispend of his own free land in yeerely reuenue to the sum me of xl. s. sterling."- Smith : Commonwealth , bk. i., ch. xxiii. *2. An upper servant; a gentleman servant; a valet. "A yeman hadde he, and servantes no mo At that time, for him luste to ride so; And he was cladde in cote and hode of green." Chaucer: C. T. , 102. (prol.) *3. A kind of under-bailiff; a bailiff's a istant. "Where's your yeoman? Is't a lusty yeoman?"Shakesp: Henry IV., Pt . II ., ii. 1. *4. One not advanced to the rank of gentleman. "We grace the yeoman by conversing with him." Shakesp.: Henry VI ., Pt . 1. , ii. 4. *5. An appellation, given in courtesy to common soldiers. "Fight, gentlemen of England! fight, good yeomen." Shakesp.: Richard III., v. 3. *6. A member of the yeomanry cavalry. [YEOMANRY, 2.] B. Naut .: A person appointed to a ist in attend." ing to the stores of the gunner, the boatswain, or the carpenter in a ship of war. yeoman-like, a . The same as YEOMANLY (q. v.). Yeomen of the guard : [BEEFEATER (2).] yeō-man-ly, adj . [Eng. yeoman; -ly.] Like, pertaining to, or becoming a yeoman; holding the position of a yeoman. "I warrant you he's as yeomanly a man as you shall see." -Greene: Friar Bacon.