noun
- Plural of kain; a form of rent or tax paid in kind (produce, livestock, etc.) rather than in money, historically used in Scotland and Ireland.
Usage: archaic; chiefly Scottish and Irish history
Examples
- Medieval Scottish tenants often paid their kains in grain and livestock.
- The landlord collected kains from the farmers each harvest season.
- Historical records show that kains were a common form of payment in rural Ireland.
- Instead of coins, the peasants delivered their kains directly to the estate.