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Glite Dictionary
to attorn

to attorn

9.9
To accept a new owner as your landlord, usually by tenants after a sale
  • verb
  • /əˈtɔrn/
  • Archaic
: reconocer
  • Upon sale of the estate, the tenants were required to attorn to the new landlord.

Examples

  • The lease stated that the tenant must attorn upon notice of a change in ownership.

  • They have agreed to attorn under the new lease.

  • Historically, it was common practice for villagers to attorn before the local magistrate.

  • The tenants must attorn to the new owner.

  • The lease stated that the tenant must attorn upon notice of a change in ownership.

  • Upon sale of the estate, the tenants were required to attorn to the new landlord.

  • Historically, it was common practice for villagers to attorn before the local magistrate.

Antonyms

to disavow
  • Formal
35 7.7

To say you are not responsible for or connected to something

Surface Forms

attorn infinitive
attorned past
attorned past participle
attorning present participle
attorns third person singular

Etymology

Attorn comes from an old French verb atorner, which meant 'to turn to' and is like the English word turn. So to attorn was to 'turn' your loyalty or rent to a new owner, which is why in law it means to officially accept a new landlord.