corvée

[kawr-vey]

cor·vée

[kawr-vey]
noun
1.
unpaid labor for one day, as on the repair of roads, exacted by a feudal lord.
2.
an obligation imposed on inhabitants of a district to perform services, as repair of roads, bridges, etc., for little or no remuneration.

Origin:
1300–50; Middle English < Middle French < Late Latin corrogāta contribution, collection, noun use of feminine of Latin corrogātus (past participle of corrogāre to collect by asking), equivalent to cor- cor- + rogā(re) to ask + -tus past participle suffix
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Corvée is always a great word to know.
So is doohickey. Does it mean:
a fool or simpleton; ninny.
a gadget; dingus; thingumbob.
Collins
World English Dictionary
corvée (ˈkɔːveɪ)
 
n
1.  European history a day's unpaid labour owed by a feudal vassal to his lord
2.  the practice or an instance of forced labour
 
[C14: from Old French, from Late Latin corrogāta contribution, from Latin corrogāre to collect, from rogāre to ask]

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