estate

English

estate on Wikipedia

Etymology

From Middle English estat, from Anglo-Norman estat and Old French estat (French: état), from Latin status. Doublet of state and status.

Pronunciation

(Received Pronunciation, General American) enPR: ĭ-stāt, IPA^(key): /ɪˈsteɪt/
- Audio (US): (file)
- Rhymes: -eɪt

Noun

estate (plural estates)

The collective property and liabilities of someone, especially a deceased person.
(now rare, archaic) state; condition.
- c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, , page 275:
  But when I came to mans eſtate,
  With hey ho, [the winde and the raine],
  Gainſt Knaues and Theeues men ſhut their gate.
- 1611, The Holy Bible, (King James Version), London: Robert Barker, , →OCLC, Romans 12:16:
  Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate.
- 1643, John Milton, Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce:
  To remove therfore if it be possible, this great and sad oppression which through the strictnes of a literall interpreting hath invaded and disturb’d the dearest and most peaceable estate of houshold society, to the over-burdening, if not the over-whelming of many Christians better worth then to be so deserted of the Churches considerate care, this position shall be laid down; first proving, then answering what may be objected either from Scripture or light of reason.
(archaic) Status, rank.
- 1651, Jer Taylor, The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living. , 2nd edition, London: Francis Ashe , →OCLC:
  God hath imprinted his authority in several parts, upon several estates of men.
(archaic) The condition of one's fortunes; prosperity, possessions.
(obsolete) A "person of estate"; a nobleman or noblewoman.
- 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, “xj”, in Le Morte Darthur, book XVI:
  And anone came oute of a chamber to hym the fayrest lady that euer he sawe & more rycher bysene than euer he sawe Quene Gueneuer or ony other estat Lo sayd they syre Bors here is the lady vnto whome we owe alle oure seruyse / and I trowe she be the rychest lady and the fayrest of alle the world
  (please add an English translation of this quotation)
- 1611, The Holy Bible, (King James Version), London: Robert Barker, , →OCLC, Mark 6:21:
  Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee.
(historical) A major social class or order of persons regarded collectively as part of the body politic of the country and formerly possessing distinct political rights (Estates of the realm).
- 1992, Hilary Mantel, A Place of Greater Safety, Harper Perennial, published 2007, page 115:
  I am afraid that some of the nobles who are campaigning for it simply want to use the Estates to cut down the King's power and increase their own.
- 2011, Norman Davies, Vanished Kingdoms, Penguin, published 2012, page 202:
  The three estates of feudal lords, clergy and royal officers met in separate chambers, and exercised an advisory role.
(law) The nature and extent of a person's interest in, or ownership of, land.
An (especially extensive) area of land, under a single ownership.
- 2014 September 7, “Doddington's garden pyramid is a folly good show: The owners of a Lincolnshire stately home have brought the folly into the 21st century, by building a 30ft pyramid [print edition: Great pyramid of Lincolnshire, 6 September 2014, p. G2]”, in The Daily Telegraph‎, London:
  It has been a long time since new follies were springing up across the great estates of Britain. But the owners of Doddington Hall, in Lincolnshire, have brought the folly into the 21st century, by building a 30ft pyramid in the grounds of the Elizabethan manor.
The landed property owned or controlled by a government or a department of government.
(UK, sometimes derogatory) A housing estate.
- 2012 October 19, Josephine McDermott, “London's new housing loses the 'dirty word'”, in BBC News‎:
  Professor Loretta Lees from King's College London's geography department says, "The word 'estate' has become synonymous with the term 'ghetto'. It's become a dirty word. Back in the '20s and '30s it didn't carry the same stigma."
(UK, automotive) A station wagon; a car with a tailgate (or liftgate) and storage space to the rear of the seating which is coterminous with the passenger compartment (and often extensible into that compartment via folding or removable seating).
(obsolete) The state; the general body politic; the common-wealth; the general interest; state affairs.
- 1612, Francis Bacon, Of Judicature:
  I call matter of estate not only the parts of sovereignty, but whatsoever […] concerneth manifestly any great portion of people.
(computing) An organization's collective information technology resources.
- 2015, Peter Carter, Pro SQL Server Administration, page 82:
  This time, however, it only includes the static parameters that you expect to be consistent across your estate.