Emily Dickinson Lexicon

TEN'ANT, n. [Fr. tenant, from tenir, to hold; L. teneo; Gr. τεινω, to strain, stretch, extend; W. tannu, to stretch; tynu, to pull; tyn, a stretch; ten, drawn; It. tenere, Sp. tener, to hold.]

1. A person holding land or other real estate under another, either by grant, lease, or at will; one who has the occupation or temporary possession of lands or tenements, whose title is in another; as, a tenant in tail; tenant in common; tenant by the courtesy; tenant in parcenery; tenant for life; tenant at will; tenant in dower.
2. One who has possession of any place; a dweller. The happy tenant of your shade. Cowley. Tenant in capite, or tenant in chief, by the laws of England, is one who holds immediately of the king. According to the feudal system, all lands in England are considered as held immediately or mediately of the king, who is styled lord paramount. Such tenants, however, are considered as having the fee of the lands and permanent possession. Blackstone.