I. ə̇ˈstāt, eˈ-, usu -ād.+V noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English estat, from Middle French — more at state
1. : state , condition :
a. : the form of existence or state of being of something ; specifically : condition or position in respect to a standard of value or to good repute
he wanted to bring painting back to its original estate — Henry Miller
discussing what seem to me to be the primary causes behind the low estate of the public schools — M.B.Smith
the Civil War … brought our ocean marine insurance to a very low estate — C.K.Knight
b. : circumstances or situation in life : mental, physical, or material condition
a service which would visualize for womanhood its highest domestic estate — Edward Bok
a tonic bitterness in such poems as examine man's estate — Babette Deutsch
going to be a field supervisor and later on a district manager, and he must not arrive at his new estate uninformed — Bernard De Voto
c. obsolete : normal or good condition
2.
a.
(1) obsolete : high school standing or rank
(2) : social standing or rank
a political platform appealing to people of every estate
b. obsolete
(1) : a position or seat of dignity, grandeur, or pomp
(2) : a canopy, chair, or dais providing this position
c. obsolete : a person of high social rank
3.
a. : a social or political class or rank : a markedly distinguishable class of people in a community or nation especially when distinguishable by social or political duties or privileges ; specifically : one of two or more great classes or orders of a state regarded as part of the body politic who are vested with distinct political powers and whose concurrence is necessary for legislation
generally the three estates of Medieval Europe consisted of the nobility, the clergy, and the merchants of the cities
— called also estate of the realm
b. estates plural : an assembly of the governing classes or of their representatives in a nation or state : parliament
the levying of taxes was subject to the consent of the estates
4.
a. : the property or a piece or aggregation of property in lands or tenements and sometimes personalty : fortune , possessions
a man of small estate
b.
(1) : the aggregate of property or liabilities of all kinds that a person leaves for disposal at his death
if you don't make a will, the law makes provision for disposing of your estate for you — Have You Made a Will?
(2) : such an aggregate considered as a legal entity
the recoverable portion of the debt does not go to the decedent's estate but to his heirs
c. : an interest often varying widely in degree, quality, nature, and extent in land or other property
an estate for life
an estate for years
system of accumulation of funds for the creation of an estate for old-age security — C.M.Winslow
5. obsolete : form of government : governing constitution
6. obsolete : body politic : commonwealth , kingdom , state
7.
a. : a usually large landed property
the proprietor of a large estate with ponds, woods, and a sizable house to retire to
b. : a large farm : plantation
orange groves and avocado estates lie round about — Aubrey Drury
European tea estates in Africa
c. Britain : project , development
trim housing estates are being built for the workers — Robert Dunnett
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
1. obsolete : to bestow as an estate — used with on or upon
2.
a. : to endow with — used with in
estated half his property in his nephew
b. obsolete : to endow or provide with property