Obs. Also 7 -arr. [Persian (and Turkish), tīmār attendance, watching.] Formerly, in the feudal system of Turkey, a fief held by military service: see quots.
1601. R. Johnson, Kingd. & Commw. (1603), 51. It is the custome of Ottoman princes to sieze vpon al the land which they take from their enimies, and assigning a small parcell … to the auncient Lordes, they deuide the resydue into Timars, to euery gallant seruitor a portion; but vpon condition, to find so and so many seruiceable horse for the war.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., IV. 166. These Timars or grounds, entertaine … two hundreth and fifty thousand horses.
1681. Nevile, Plato Rediv., 87. Planting above sixty thousand Souldiers upon Lands in Lombardy; That is, erecting so many Beneficia, or Timarr’s.
1819. T. Hope, Anastasius (1820), II. xiii. 303. The Spahees, or horse soldiers, on the contrary, often only holding their Zeeameth or Timar from some grandee as the wages of domestic service.
¶ b. erron. One holding a timar: = TIMARIOT.
1598. Dallington, Meth. Trav., K iij b. They are bound to serue the Great Turke with horse and in person in his warres. These are called his Timars.
1638. Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 232. The Timarrs or Turqmars are more despicable [i.e., than the ranks and degrees before mentioned].
