corvee

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

corvee
    n 1: unpaid labor (as for the maintenance of roads) required by
         a lord of his vassals in lieu of taxes

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Corvee \Cor`vee"\ (k?r`v" or -v?"), n. [F. corv['e]e, fr. LL.
   corvada, corrogata, fr. L. corrogare to entreat together;
   cor- + rogare to ask.] (Feudal Law)
   An obligation to perform certain services, as the repair of
   roads, for the lord or sovereign.
   [1913 Webster]