1.PGCa man in the MiddleAges who was given land to live on by a lord in return for promising to work or fight for him 〔中世纪领主下面的〕封臣,家臣〔对国君或领主效忠,作为回报获封土地〕
2formalPG a country that is controlled by another country(附)属国
a vassal state
附庸国
Examples from the Corpus
vassal• He was a vassal, as indeed his father had been forty years earlier.• The whistle was lord; they were all vassals.• Why are employeestreated as vassals by the pensionfunds?• Theoretically they should follow the lead of the Warbutt if he commands them; they are his vassals.• But they too posed a threat, for there were few of his vassals whom he could trust.• Since he was already a papalvassal Sancho found the powers of the Churchdifficult to check.• If his creditors allowed him to be, he would be their vassal for life.• Yet even with vassals of the same class, there might be differences.
Originvassal
(1300-1400)Old FrenchMedieval Latinvassallus, from vassus“servant”