[f. TRIBUNE sb.1 + -SHIP.] The office of a Roman or other tribune; the term of this office. Also transf.
1541. Paynell, Catiline, li. 74 b. The Senate decreed, that Metellus shuld leaue vp his trybuneshyp and Cesar his pretorshyp.
1603. Holland, Plutarch’s Mor., 877. This Tribuneship having taken originally the first beginning from the common people, is great and mighty in regard that it is popular.
1636. E. Dacres, trans. Machiavel’s Disc. Livy, I. xiii. 72. The accustomed Religion help’d well … for the restitution of the Tribunship to the Nobility.
1756. Ward, in Phil. Trans., XLIX. 699. The year 50, which answers to the ninth tribuneship or Claudius.
1842. W. C. Taylor, Anc. Hist., xv. § 6 (ed. 3), 440. Becoming a candidate for the tribuneship,… [he] was elected without much opposition.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., vi. II. 41. The crimes which had disgraced the stormy tribuneship of Shaftesbury.
