bound servant
[/baʊnd ˈsɜːrvənt/]
nounpl: bound servants
servo contratado; criado por contrato; servo vinculado
1. A person bound by contract or indenture to work for another for a specified period, especially in colonial America, in exchange for passage, land, or other compensation
Many bound servants arrived in Virginia during the 17th century to work on tobacco plantations.
Muitos servos contratados chegaram à Virgínia durante o século XVII para trabalhar nas plantações de tabaco.
2. A laborer whose work is secured by a legal agreement or bond, typically with limited personal freedom during the contract period
The bound servant agreed to seven years of labor in exchange for room and board.
O servo contratado concordou com sete anos de trabalho em troca de moradia e alimentação.
This term is primarily associated with colonial American history, particularly the 17th and 18th centuries, when bound servitude was a common labor system in English colonies. It differs from slavery in that the servitude was temporary and contractual, though conditions were often harsh. The term is rarely used in contemporary Portuguese beyond historical or academic contexts. In Brazil, it may be discussed in relation to colonial labor systems but is not part of everyday vocabulary.
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