n. [ OE. burgeis, OF. burgeis, fr. burcfortified town, town, F. bourg village, fr. LL. burgus fort, city; from the German; cf. MHG. burc, G. burg. See 1st Borough, and cf. 2d Bourgeois. ]
☞ “A burgess of a borough corresponds with a citizen of a city.” Burrill. [ 1913 Webster ]
☞ Before the Revolution, the representatives in the popular branch of the legislature of Virginia were called burgesses; they are now called delegates. [ 1913 Webster ]
Burgess oath.
n. The state of privilege of a burgess. South. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ See Fool-large, Largess. ] Foolish expenditure; waste. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]
v. t. & i. To guess. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]
‖n. [ It., chalk, plaster. ]
‖ [ It., hard plaster. ] A variety of gesso which when dried becomes hard and durable, often used in making bas-relief casts, which are colored and mounted in elaborate frames. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]
Fulfilled of largesse and of all grace. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]
The heralds finished their proclamation with their usual cry of “Largesse, largesse, gallant knights!” and gold and silver pieces were showered on them from the galleries. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]