fee

plural fees

1. An amount charged in return for permission to do something

   television license fee

2. An amount charged in return for permission to do something:
   1. An amount charged ancillary to the (occasionally null) base cost of a product or service; an additional charge, nominally for some additional privilege, ability or permission.

      booking fee, late fee

      1 more example

      no hidden fees; &nbsp the sticker price is $1 but all the extra fees push the price into triple digits; it costs just 4.99 and there are no fees

   2. An amount charged for something: the base cost of purchasing some thing, service, etc.

      admission fee, membership fee, drivers' license fee

      1 more example

      the fee for entry to the zoo is increasing from 50 to 60 dollars

      Synonyms: tax

3. A fixed rate or price charged for (chiefly white-collar) professional services.

   lawyers' fees, tuition fee, bank fees, legal fees, consulting fee

   1 more example

   Imagine a country where children do nothing but play until they start compulsory schooling at age seven. Then, without exception, they attend comprehensives until the age of 16. Charging school fees is illegal, and so is sorting pupils into ability groups by streaming or setting.

   2013 July 19, Peter Wilby, “Finland spreads word on schools”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 6, page 30

4. lawAn inheritable estate in land, whether absolute and without limitation to potential heirs (fee simple) or with limitations to particular kinds of heirs (fee tail).
5. historicallawA right to the use of a superior's land as a stipend for certain services to be performed, typically military service.
6. historicallawSynonym of fief: the land so held.

   Synonyms: fief

7. historicallawAn inheritable estate in land held of a feudal lord on condition of performance of certain services, typically military service.
8. figurativelyobsoleteSynonym of possession.

   Cronshaw had told him that the facts of life mattered nothing to him who by the power of fancy held in fee the twin realms of space and time.

   1915, W.S. Maugham, Of Human Bondage, chapter 121

   3 more examples

   Once did she hold the gorgeous East in fee; And was the safeguard of the west: the worth Of Venice did not fall below her birth, Venice, the eldest Child of Liberty.

   1807, William Wordsworth, “On the Extinction of the Venetian Republic”, in Poems in Two Volumes

   What doth the poor man's son inherit? Stout muscles and a sinewy heart, A hardy frame, a hardier spirit; King of two hands, he does his part In every useful toil and art; A heritage, it seems to me, A king might wish to hold in fee.

   1844, James Russell Lowell, The Heritage

   This England, this sea-lion of the sea, By ignorant demagogues is held in fee, Who love her not: Dear God! is this the land Which bare a triple empire in her hand When Cromwell spake the word Democracy!

   a. 1881, Oscar Wilde, 'To Milton', in Poems

   Synonyms: possession

9. obsoleteMoney paid or bestowed; payment; emolument.
10. obsoleteA prize or reward. Only used in the set phrase "A finder's fee" in Modern English.

    For though sweet love to conquer glorious bee, / Yet is the paine thereof much greater than the fee.

    1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book IV, Canto X”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC

present singular third person fees · participle present feeing · participle past feed · past feed

1. To reward for services performed, or to be performed; to recompense; to hire or keep in hire; hence, to bribe.

   There's not a one of them but in his house I keep a servant feed.

   c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iv]

   3 more examples

   In vain for Hellebore the patient cries / And fees the doctor; but too late is wise

   1693, John Dryden, “The Third Satire of Aulus Persius Flaccus”, in The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis

   We departed the grounds without seeing Marbonna; and previous to vaulting over the picket, feed our pretty guide, after a fashion of our own.

   1847, Herman Melville, Omoo

   It was at a much earlier hour than that which Mrs. Santon had named, that Delwood presented himself, and handsomely feeing the porter who answered his summons, he asked to see Miss Santon […]

   1859, Ferna Vale, Natalie; or, A Gem Among the Sea-Weeds

1. A surname.
2. A diminutive of the female given name Fiona.

   Then turning to Fiona, she said, “Fee, I'll only be a minute. […]

   2023, Zoë Jasko, Hope is Daffodil Bright