Outfangthief

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈaÊŠtfaŋθiːf/

Alternative forms

• outfangthef

Origin

From Middle English *outfange(n) thef, from Old English ūtfangen þēof ("right of judging thieves caught outside one’s jurisdiction, and of taking fines for the crime"), from *ūtfangen, past participle of *ūtfōn ("to take out") + þēof ("thief"), equivalent to - + fang + thief. Compare infangthief.

Full definition of outfangthief

Noun

1. (archaic) The right of a lord to pursue a thief outside the lord's own jurisdiction and bring him back within his jurisdiction to be punished.
• 1845, John Henry Newman, Lives of the English Saints, ST Freemantle, p. 19:But feudalism also contained another principle, and that was, that within his own territory each lord was absolute; his suzerain could not interfere with his jurisdiction; infangthief and outfangthief implied a very perfect and intelligible power of hanging and imprisoning as he pleased.
• 1822, John Comyns & Anthony Hammond, A Digest of the Laws of England, Butterworth & Son, p. 328:A grant of outfangthief imports the trial of those of his fee taken for felony in another precinct.