I. ˈvasəl, ˈvaas- noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Medieval Latin vassallus, from vassus servant, vassal, of Celtic origin; akin to Welsh gwas boy, servant, Breton gwaz man, Old Irish foss servant
1.
a. : a person who is under the protection of another as his feudal lord and is vowed to homage and fealty to that other : a feudal tenant : feudatory
b. Scots law : a tenant entitled to the beneficial enjoyment of land and holding of a lord or other superior owning the legal title thereto conditionally upon the rendering of an annual service or payment — compare feu-duty
2. : one in a position or status felt to resemble that of a feudal vassal to his lord : one who owes or is forced to give allegiance and service to another as a superior
the Baltic states that became vassals of Russia
3.
a. : a person in a humble and subordinate or suppliant position : dependent , servant , slave
b. : one wholly subordinated to some controlling influence
a vassal to his fears
interest rates became the vassal of central banking and treasury policy — R.I.Robinson
II. “+ adjective
1. : of, relating to, or typical of a vassal
2. : occupying the position or relation of a vassal ; broadly : servile subservient
a tenuous vassal relationship to the Chinese court — J.F.Cady
III. transitive verb
( vassaled or vassalled ; vassaled or vassalled ; vassaling or vassalling ; vassals )
archaic : vassalize
vassaled themselves to the great Mongol — Peter Heylin