empery

English

Etymology

From Middle English emperie, from Old French emperie, from Latin imperium, inperium (command, control, dominion, sovereignty, a dominion, empire), from imperare, inperare (to command, order), from in (in, on) + parare (to make ready, order). Doublet of imperium and empire.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈɛm.pə.ɹɪ/, /ˈɛm.pɹɪ/

Noun

empery (plural emperies)

  1. (now rare) An empire; the status or dominion of an emperor. [from 14th c.]
    • c. 1587–1588, [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. [] The First Part [], 2nd edition, part 1, London: [] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, [], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire, London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene vi:
      Let’s cheere our ſouldiers to incounter him,
      That grieuous image of ingratitude:
      That fiery thirſter after Soueraigntie:
      And burne him in the fury of that flame,
      That none can quench but blood and Empery.
    • 1604, Edward Coke, “To the Reader”, in The Fourth Part of the Reports of Sir Edward Coke, Kt.:
      Secondly, the Largeneſs of his Empery, and the firſt Conquest of Ireland, long before the Reign of K. Hen. the Second.
    • 1661, John Donne, To his Mistress going to Bed:
      My Myne of precious stones: My Emperie, / How blest am I in this discovering thee!
    • 1930, Hart Crane, “Ave Maria”, in The Bridge:
      It is morning there / O where our Indian emperies lie revealed, / Yet lost, all, let this keel one instant yield!
  2. (archaic) Absolute power or authority. [from 16th c.]
    • 1833, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Prometheus Bound:
      Because he filched away
      Thine own bright flower, the glory of plastic fire,
      And gifted mortals with it, — such a sin
      It doth behoove he expiate to the gods,
      Learning to accept the empery of Zeus,
      And leave off his old trick of loving man.

Synonyms

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