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Simple English definitions for legal terms
tithe
Read a random definition: disputatio fori
A quick definition of tithe:
Tithe: A tenth of one's income that is given as a religious or charitable gift or obligation. In the past, it was also a small tax or assessment of one-tenth. Tithes could be paid in different forms, such as crops, natural products, or profits from manual occupations or trades. The right to tithes was often held by a rector or a monastery, but it could also pass into lay hands.
A more thorough explanation:
A tithe is a religious or charitable gift or obligation that involves giving a tenth of one's income. It can also refer to a small tax or assessment, usually in the amount of one-tenth.
For example, in some religions, it is customary to give a tithe to the church or other religious organization. This means that if someone earns $100, they would give $10 as a tithe. In the past, tithes were also used as a way to support the church or other organizations, and people would give a tenth of their crops or other goods as a tithe.
There are different types of tithes, such as:
- Great tithe: A tithe paid in kind, such as crops, hay, or wood, and considered more valuable than other tithes.
- Mixed tithe: A tithe consisting of a natural product, such as milk or wool, obtained or cultivated by human effort.
- Personal tithe: A tithe of profits from manual occupations or trades.
- Predial tithe: A tithe of crops, such as corn.
- Vicarial tithe: A small tithe payable to a vicar.
These examples illustrate how tithes can take different forms and be used for different purposes, but they all involve giving a tenth of one's income or goods as a religious or charitable obligation.