Word: chiefery Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From chief + -ery. Piecewise doublet of cheffery. 1. The status or role of a chief; chieftainship. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: "Then those lands in the County of Cavan which was O'Rilie's country are all holden of the King ; and because the captainship or chiefery of O'Rilie is abolished by act of Parliament by Stat. 2d of Elizabeth, and also because, two of the chief lords elected by the country have been lately slain in rebellion (which is an attainder in law), these lands are holden immediately of his Majesty. Example: Roderic drew all his forces against him; Dermot Mac Moroogh sent to Robert Fitz Stephens, that in all haste he should draw forces to the ayde of Donald Prince of Limirike his sonne in law, which was accordingly affected, where Roderic was foyled, lost his chiefery, and with shame enough returned to his own country. 2. The land ruled over by a chief; chieftainship. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: I have said that Tautira was a large and powerful chiefery on the eastern side of the peninsula Taiarapu, which was balanced by Teahupoo, another large chiefery at the southern end. Example: There was no king, but each district or chiefery had an independent ruler who inherited under the law of primogeniture and traced his descent by a most carefully-kept genealogical system to almost incredible antiquity. 3. The form of government in which people are ruled by a chief. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: The conquest of new territories made it possible for the Zarma society to settle in hamlets and develop a political organization that assumed the characteristics of a chiefery. Example: Charles Massi, one of his former ministers, who has become one of his fiercest opponents, declared that "Ange-Félix Patassé belongs to the school which mistakes the Presidency of the Republic for traditional chiefery. 4. A colonial administrative centre. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: After dinner at the chiefery we assembled on the courtyard veranda to hear the singing of the Papara himeme chorus. Example: These villages are located two or three kilometers from each chiefery or mission post. 5. The leaders or chiefs of a people, collectively. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: If, as seems certain, the Hui Arii contingent intermarried with the local chiefery, this acceptance of the gods of the land would have been inevitable. Example: This is for certaine known, that much about this time, he, together with the chiefery, or greatest men of Ulster, by secret parleys combined in an association that they would defend the Romish religion. 6. An Irish head tax Labels: countable, historical, uncountable Example: By procuring his Majesty to release to several Irish papists, some whereof were deeply engaged in the horrid rebellion of that kingdom, the chiefery's or head-rents reserved to the crown, out of the forfeited estates of papists Papists there, being a principal part of his majesty's revenue in that kingdom. Example: The man did not care to be referred to Mr. Matthews; and to give some colour to his pretensions, produced three different notes, with the names of his grace's commissioners put to them, expressing that he was to pay only a chiefery out of the lands of Shragh, and directing Mr. John Bagot the receiver to suspend the rent till further order.