The noun mortmain is primarily a legal term, describing a kind of protection of a group's hold on property or land. ... In Old French, mortemain literally means "dead hand," from the Medieval Latin manus mortua, which in legal terms means "inalienable power."

What is mortmain in English?

1a : an inalienable possession of lands or buildings by an ecclesiastical or other corporation. b : the condition of property or other gifts left to a corporation in perpetuity especially for religious, charitable, or public purposes.

Who is a tiller?

The definition of a tiller is a person or machine that turns over soil for planting crops, a handle that turns the rudder of a boat, or a shoot growing from the base of a plant. An example of a tiller is a vegetable farmer who uses a plow to turn over the soil in their field.