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The Collaborative International Dictionary
Curtesy

Curtesy \Cur"te*sy\ (k?r"t?-s?), n.; pl. Curtesies (-s?z). [Either fr. courlesy, the lands being held as it were by favor; or fr. court (LL. curtis), the husband being regarded as holding the lands as a vassal of the court. See Court, Courtesy.] (Law) the life estate which a husband has in the lands of his deceased wife, which by the common law takes effect where he has had issue by her, born alive, and capable of inheriting the lands.
--Mozley & W.

Wiktionary
curtesy

n. The tenure that a man is entitled to over the property of his deceased wife if there is a child who could inherit it.

Usage examples of "curtesy".

Making a curtesy, Elsy left the parlor, and entered the room pointed out by Emily.

May 8th, the Master of the Rolls his curtesy, thowgh I had never spoken unto him.

They stood all waiting with such a venerate attention, that when the seruice was brought to the table, they all at one instant time alike, made their reuerent curtesies in bowing of their knees, and in like manner when they did rise from of their seates, euerie one apparrelled in cloth of Golde, but they did not sit and eate at the same table.

Jubal let it go on until every newsman there knew more than he wanted to know about dower and curtesy, consanguinean and uterine, per stirpes and per capita, and related mysteries.