From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Demesne \De*mesne"\, n. [OE. demeine, demain, rule, demesne, OF.
demeine, demaine, demeigne, domaine, power, F. domaine
domain, fr. L. dominium property, right of ownership, fr.
dominus master, proprietor, owner. See {Dame}, and cf.
{Demain}, {Domain}, {Danger}, {Dungeon}.] (Law)
A lord's chief manor place, with that part of the lands
belonging thereto which has not been granted out in tenancy;
a house, and the land adjoining, kept for the proprietor's
own use. [Written also {demain}.] --Wharton's Law Dict.
Burrill.
[1913 Webster]
{Ancient demesne}. (Eng. Law) See under {Ancient}.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
demesne
n 1: extensive landed property (especially in the country)
retained by the owner for his own use; "the family owned a
large estate on Long Island" [syn: {estate}, {land},
{landed estate}, {acres}, {demesne}]
2: territory over which rule or control is exercised; "his
domain extended into Europe"; "he made it the law of the
land" [syn: {domain}, {demesne}, {land}]
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