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. [ L. inturgescens, p. pr. of inturgescere to swell up. See 1st In-, and Turgescent. ] A swelling; the act of swelling, or state of being swelled. [ Obs. ] Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Turgesced p. pr. & vb. n. Turgescing ] [ L. turgescere, v. incho. fr. turgere to swell. ] To become turgid; to swell or be inflated. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. [ Cf. F. turgescence. See Turgescent. ] 1. The act of swelling, or the state of being swollen, or turgescent. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Empty magnificence or pompousness; inflation; bombast; turgidity. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. turgescens, -entis, p. pr. of turgescere: cf. F. turgescent. See Turgesce. ] Becoming turgid or inflated; swelling; growing big. [ 1913 Webster ]