Danegeld Hear it!

Danegeld definition

Dane·geld (-geld′)

noun

an Anglo-Saxon tax supposedly first levied to support forces resisting the Danes invading England and later continued as a land tax

Etymology: ME < ON *Danagiald < Dana, gen. pl. of Danr, Dane + gjald, payment, penalty, akin to OE gieldan: see yield

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.