n. [ OE. burgeis, OF. burgeis, fr. burcfortified town, town, F. bourg village, fr. LL. burgus fort, city; from the German; cf. MHG. burc, G. burg. See 1st Borough, and cf. 2d Bourgeois. ] 1. An inhabitant of a borough or walled town, or one who possesses a tenement therein; a citizen or freeman of a borough. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ “A burgess of a borough corresponds with a citizen of a city.” Burrill. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who represents a borough in Parliament. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A magistrate of a borough. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. An inhabitant of a Scotch burgh qualified to vote for municipal officers. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Before the Revolution, the representatives in the popular branch of the legislature of Virginia were called burgesses; they are now called delegates. [ 1913 Webster ]

Burgess oath. See Burgher, 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of privilege of a burgess. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Fool-large, Largess. ] Foolish expenditure; waste. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. & i. To guess. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ It., chalk, plaster. ] 1. Plaster of Paris, or gypsum, esp. as prepared for use in painting, or in making bas-reliefs and the like; by extension, a plasterlike or pasty material spread upon a surface to fit it for painting or gilding, or a surface so prepared. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. A work of art done in gesso. [ Obs. ] [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

‖ [ It., hard plaster. ] A variety of gesso which when dried becomes hard and durable, often used in making bas-relief casts, which are colored and mounted in elaborate frames. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

{ } n. [ F. largesse, fr. large. See Large, a. ] 1. Liberality; generosity; bounty. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Fulfilled of largesse and of all grace. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A present; a gift; a bounty bestowed. [ 1913 Webster ]

The heralds finished their proclamation with their usual cry of “Largesse, largesse, gallant knights!” and gold and silver pieces were showered on them from the galleries. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]