Allowances

I drive by a taxi company on my way to and from work. I got to wondering where the term "livery vehicle" came from. Especially knowing that livery has an entirely different meaning.

livery
c.1300, "household allowance of any kind (food, provisions, clothing) to retainers or servants," from Anglo-Fr. livere (1292), O.Fr. livrée, originally "(clothes) delivered by a master to his servants," from fem. pp. of livrer "to dispense, deliver, hand over," from L. liberare (see liberate). The sense later was reduced to "servants' rations" and "provender for horses" (c.1440). The former led to the meaning "distinctive clothing given to servants" (c.1325); the latter now is obsolete except in livery stable (1705).

But wiki explains, "A 'livery vehicle' remains a legalism in the U.S. for a vehicle for hire, such as a taxicab or chauffered limousine, but excluding a rented vehicle driven by the renter. ...This usage stems from the hackney cabs or coaches that could be provided by a livery stable."

Another fine example of the American version of the English language.