hospodar

[O. Slav. gospodarg; Ru . go spod are a lord.] A title of dignity borne by the kings of Poland, the princes of Lithuania, Wall a chia, and Moldavia. Moldavia and Wall a chia constituting those "principalities," the temporary occupation of which by Ru ia as a "material guarantee" that its claims should be yielded by Turkey, hospodar was almost a household word during the Ru oTurkish war of 1853, . Hospodars continued till the treaties of San Stefano and Berlin, in 1878, finally emancipated the former principalities, now united as Roumania, from the suzerainty of Turkey. host (1), hoste, s . [O. Fr. hoste (Fr. hôte ), from Lat. hospitem , acc us. of hospes a host, a guest.] I. Ordinary Language : 1. Gen.: One who receives and entertains another in his own house, whether gratuitously or for reward; an entertainer. "Fair host and earl, I pray your courtesy." Tennyson: Enid, 403. 2. Specif.: The landlord of an inn. "[We] entered an old hostel, called mine host." Tennyson: Prince , i. 171. II. Technically : 1. Bot . A plant in which another one, such as Orobanche or Cuscuta, roots itself. 2. Zool.: An animal on or in which another one is parasitic. host (2), *hoost, *ost, s . [O. Fr. host , from Lat. hostem , acc us. of host is an enemy, a host.] 1. An army; a number of men embodied for war. "With extended wings a banner'd host Under spread ensigns." Milton: P. L. , ii. 886. 2. A great number or multitude; a crowd; a throng. "The host of insects gathering round my face." Words worth: Excursion, bk. i.