frankpledge: Meaning and Definition of

frank•pledge

Pronunciation: (frangk'plej"), [key]
— n. Old Eng. Law.
  1. a system of dividing a community into tithings or groups of ten men, each member of which was responsible for the conduct of the other members of his group and for the assurance that a member charged with a breach of the law would be produced at court.
  2. a member of a tithing.
  3. the tithing itself.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.