[f. TENANT: see -ANCY; representing med.L. tenentia (1116 in Muratori, Antiquitates, IX. [1776], 430), also tenantia (c. 1200 in Du Cange). Cf. OF. tenance (12th c. in Godef.).] The state or position of being a tenant; the holding or occupation of lands, etc.; tenure.
1. Law. A holding or possession of lands or tenements, by any title of ownership.
1590. Swinburne, Testaments, 72. Besides this men married lost their tenanc[i]es by the curtesie, women their dowries; finally the prince himselfe lost the profits of the landes of persons attainted.
1598. Kitchen, Courts Leet (1675), 484. The other pleads several Tenancy.
1614. Selden, Titles Hon., 266. By the substance, I mean their being immediat Tenancies of the Crown, or as we say in chief.
1766. Blackstone, Comm., II. xii. 194. As to the incidents attending a tenancy in common.
1818. Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), I. 51. The practice of creating manors or tenancies in gross was effectually prevented by the statute Quia Emptores. Ibid., VI. 418. The Court at first held this to be a tenancy in common; but afterwards upon good consideration it was adjudged to be a joint tenancy, for so it was implied.
b. Occupancy of lands or tenements under a lease. (The ordinary current sense.) Also (contextually) the duration of a tenure; the period during which a tenement is held.
1598. Marston, Sco. Villanie, I. ii. Tis all one, for life to be a beast, A slaue, as haue a short term’d tenancie.
1817. W. Selwyn, Law Nisi Prius (ed. 4), II. 673. A notice to quit at the expiration of the current year of the tenancy.
1834. Ht. Martineau, Moral, II. 75. Partnership tenantcies affect the security of property by rendering one tenant answerable for the obligations of all his partners.
1858. Ld. St. Leonards, Handy Bk. Prop. Law, xv. 99. Such a lease … creates a tenancy from year to year, and terminable by half a year’s notice.
1875. Report, in Woodfall, Law Landl. & Ten. (1877), 719. Some counties pay for no guano used in the last year but one of the tenancy.
1876. Digby, Real Prop., v. § I. 208. A tenancy at will is where the land is held by the tenant so long as lessor and lessee please that the tenancy should continue.
attrib. 1906. Westm. Gaz., 30 July, 5/2. Conspiring by false pretences to acquire several valuable tenancy agreements in various parts of London.
2. Occupation or enjoyment of, or residence in, any place, position, or condition.
1597–8. Bp. Hall, Sat., IV. ii. 124. Thine heyr, thine heyres heyre, and his heire again,… Shall climbe up to the chancell pewes on high. And rule and raigne in their rich tenancie.
1856. Froude, Hist. Eng., I. v. 425. The queen was at Ampthill,… having entered on her sad tenancy … as soon as the place had been evacuated by the gaudy hunting party.
attrib. 1903. Westm. Gaz., 2 June, 2/1. The district contract system was expanded into a district tenancy system, wherein the whole of the business was conducted by the contractor.
† 3. That which is held by a tenant. a. A holding, a TENEMENT. b. A post or office; occupation, employment. Obs. rare.
1579. J. Stubbes, Gaping Gulf, D iij. The greatest castelles, honors, and manors are but mesnalties or rather very messuages and tenancyes paraual.
1580–1. Act 23 Eliz., c. 4. Parte of the same Habytacions, Tenauncyes and Farmes have byn reduced rather to pasturing of Cattell then to the Mayntenaunce of Men of Service. Ibid. What Tenauncyes and Howses of Habitacions be … ruyned and decayed.
1597–8. Proc. Star Chamb., in Ribton-Turner, Vagrants & Vagr. (1887), 123. The said John Scripe had … divided a Tenement in Shordich, into, or about seventeene Tenancies or dwellings,… inhabited by divers persons.
1670. Blount, Law Dict., Tenancies (23 Eliz. c. 4) are Houses for Habitation, Tenements, or places to live in, held of another.
