serendipidous --> freeholder

[Joel S. Berson]

At 2/8/2012 04:14 PM, Victor Steinbok wrote:
>I don't know--I kind of like OED's "other" interpretation:
>
>>a man whose wife allows him to remain indefinitely in a tavern or
>>alehouse (and may accompany him there)
>
>It's listed as obsolete, but still...

And wouldn't have been allowed in colonial Massachusetts -- there was
a law against residents of a town lingering in public
houses.  ("Strangers" -- out-of-towners -- could stay as long as they
wanted, and behaved.  Sort of like unlimited hours for hotel guests today.)

Joel

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