1. Paying tribute to another, either from compulsion, as an acknowledgment of submission, or to secure
protection, or for the purpose of purchasing peace.
[Julius] unto Rome made them tributary.
Chaucer. 2. Hence, subject; subordinate; inferior.
He to grace his tributary gods.
Milton. 3. Paid in tribute. "Tributary tears." Shak.
4. Yielding supplies of any kind; serving to form or make up, a greater object of the same kind, as a
part, branch, etc.; contributing; as, the Ohio has many tributary streams, and is itself tributary to the
Mississippi.
Tributary
(Trib"u*ta*ry) n.; pl. Tributaries
1. A ruler or state that pays tribute, or a stated sum, to a conquering power, for the purpose of securing
peace and protection, or as an acknowledgment of submission, or for the purchase of security.
2. A stream or river flowing into a larger river or into a lake; an affluent.
Tribute
(Trib"ute) n. [OE. tribut, L. tributum, fr. tribuere, tributum, to bestow, grant, pay, allot, assign,
originally, to a tribe, from tribus tribe; cf. F. tribut. See Tribe, and cf. Attribute, Contribute.]
1. An annual or stated sum of money or other valuable thing, paid by one ruler or nation to another,
either as an acknowledgment of submission, or as the price of peace and protection, or by virtue of
some treaty; as, the Romans made their conquered countries pay tribute.
Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute.
C. C. Pinckney. 2. A personal contribution, as of money, praise, service, etc., made in token of services rendered, or as
that which is due or deserved; as, a tribute of affection.
Implores the passing tribute of a sigh.
Gray. 3. (Mining) A certain proportion of the ore raised, or of its value, given to the miner as his recompense.
Pryce. Tomlinson.
Tribute money, money paid as a tribute or tax. — Tribute pitch. (Mining) See under Tributer. [Eng.]
Syn. — See Subsidy.
Tribute
(Trib"ute), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Tributed; p. pr. & vb. n. Tributing.] To pay as tribute. [R.]
Whitlock
Tributer
(Trib"u*ter) n. (Mining) One who works for a certain portion of the ore, or its value. [Eng.]
Tributers generally work in gangs, and have a limited portion of a lode set them, called a tribute pitch,
beyond which they are not permitted to work, and for which they receive a certain portion of the ore, or
so much per pound, as agreed upon, of the value of what they raise. Weale.
Trica
(||Tri"ca) n.; pl. Tricæ [NL.] (Bot.) An apothecium in certain lichens, having a spherical surface
marked with spiral or concentric ridges and furrows.
