fyrd
1
9.9
A group of men in early England called up to fight when the country was attacked
- noun
- /fɪrd/
- Archaic
:
fyrd
- During times of conflict, every able man was expected to join the fyrd and protect their home.
Examples
-
In later Anglo-Saxon society, this would be called the fyrd.
Blog text (15) -
The king called upon the local fyrd to defend the kingdom from invasion.
-
In Anglo-Saxon England, the fyrd consisted of farmers and laborers who became soldiers when needed.
Synonyms
troops
vsfyrd
∞
2.0
Soldiers who work together as a group in an army
is a locally raised emergency force called up for homeland defense
army
vsfyrd
275
1.0
A large group of people organized to do one job
is raised locally for emergency defense rather than being a standing organization
military force
vsfyrd
112
3.2
A group of soldiers organized to protect or fight for a country
is mustered locally for specific threats rather than part of national forces
1
9.9
Volunteer soldiers on horses in Britain formed to defend the country
is raised temporarily in emergencies rather than as an organized permanent unit
1
9.9
Groups of people allied to Rome who gave soldiers in return for land
is a local militia called up for defense not a land granted allied group
Surface Forms
Etymology
Fyrd is an Old English word for the group of local men a king could 'call up' to fight in times of danger, like an early 'militia' or small 'army'. So fyrd means a band of ordinary people raised to defend the land.