Black's Law Dictionary

Suits in the ecclesiastical courts for spiritual offenses against conscience, for non-payment of debin or breaches of civil contracts. This attempt to turn the ecclesiastical court

In Roman law. The injury sustained by one of the parties to an onerous contract when he had been overreached by the other to the extent of more than one-half of the value of the su

A thing surrendered into the hands or power of another; a thing given or delivered. Spelman.

A' division or district pecullar to the county of Kent. Spelman.

Cro. Car. 117. A slip of the tongue ought not lightly in be subjected to punishment.

In medical jurisprudence. Intervals occurring in the mental life of an insane person during which he is completely restored to the use of his reason or so far restored that he has

Lat In Roman law. A term including everything which a husband or wife, as such, acquires from the estate of the other, either before the marriage or on agreeing to it or during its

Lat. In Roman law. A consideration which is voluntary; that is to say, a gratuitous gift or such like. It was opposed to onerosa causa, which denoted a valuable consideration. It w

Lat. This species of usucapio was permitted in Roman law only in the case of persons taking possession of property upon the deccase of its late owner, and in exclusion or deforceme

Yielding gain or profit; profitable; bcaring or yielding a revenue or salary. —Lucrative bailment. See Bailment. —Lucrative office. One which yields a revenue (in the form of fees

See Bailment.

One which yields a revenue (in the form of fees or otherwise) or a fixed salary to the incumbent; according to some authorities, one which yields a compensation supposed to be adeq

In Scotch law. A kind of passive title by which a person accepting from another, without any onerous cause, (or without paying value,) a disposition of any part of his heritage, to

In the civil law, title acquired without the giving of anything in exchange for it; the title by which a person acquires anything which comes to him as a clear gain, as, for instan

In Scotch law. A gainer.

Gain in money or goods; profit; usually in an ill sense or with the sense of something base or unworthy. Webster.

Lat In criminal law. A term descriptive of the intent with which property is taken in cases of larceny, the phrase mcaning "fur the sake of lucre" or gain. State v. Ryan, 12 Nev. 4

Lat. In Scotch law. A ceasing gain, as distinguished from damnum datum, an actual loss.

A guardian ought not to make money out of the guardianship of his ward. Manning v. Manning's Exits, 1 Johns. Ch. (N. Y.) 527, 535.

A mournful inheritance. See Hæreditas Luctuosa.

In Roman law. Mourning. See Annus Luctus.

Luggage may consist of any articles intended for the use of a passenger while traveling or for his personal equipment. Civ. Code Cal. § 2181. This term is synonymous with "baggage,

Lat. In the civil law. Light; the light of the sun or sky; the privilege of receiving light into a house. A light or window.

Lat In the civil law. Lights; windows; openings to obtain light for one's building.

A lamp or candle set burning on the altar of any church or chapel, for the maintenance whereof lands and rent-charges were frequently given to parish churches, etc. Kennett, Gloss.

As applied to judicial sales, this term means a sale in mass, as where several distinct parcels of real estate, or several articles of personal property, are sold together for a "l

Lunacy is that condition or habit in which the mind is directed by the wlll, but is wholly or partially misguided or erroneously governed by it; or it is the Impairment of any one

A commission issuing from a court of competent jurisdiction, authorizing an inquiry to be made into the mental condition of a person who is alleged to be a lunatic.

Belonging to or measured by the revolutions of the moon. —Lunar month. See Month.

See Month.

A person of deranged or unsound mind; a person whose mental faculties are in the condition called "lunacy," (q. v.)

He Is a lunatic who enjoys lucid intervals. 1 Story, Cont. § 73.

In old EnglisS' law. A silver penny, so called bscause It was to be coined only at,London, (a Londres,) and not at the country mints. Lown. Essay Coins, 17; Cowell.

A bawd or strumpet. 3 Inst. 206.

Lat. To be outlawed, and have one's head exposed, like a wolf's, with a reward to him who should take it. Cowell.

Casting any corrupt or poisonous thing into the water. Wharton.

In old English law. A base sort of money, coined beyond sea in the likeness of English coin, and introduced into England in the reign of Edward III. Prohibited by St. 25 Edw. III.

Excess and extravagance which was formerly an offense against the public economy, but is not now punishable. Wharton.

The gate into a churchyard, with a roof or awning hung on posts over it to cover the body brought for burial, when it rests underneath. Wharton.

Sax. In old records. Lief silver or money; a small fine paid by the customary tenant to the lord for leave to plow or sow, etc. Somn. Gavelkind, 27.

A person who, by his presence and silence at a transaction which affects his interests, may be fairly supposed to acquiesco in it, lf he afterwards propose to disturb the arrangeme

A term descriptive of waifs, wrecks, estrays, and the like, which may be seized without suit or action.

A phrase applied to incorporeal rights, incapable of manual tradition, and which must pass by mere delivery of a deed.

Lying in ambush; lying hid or concealed for the purpose of making a sudden and unexpected attack upon a person when he shall arrive at the scene. In some jurisdictions, where there

A term descriptive of the action of unofficial persons, organised bands or mobs, who seize persons charged with or suspected of crimes or take them out of the custody of the law, a

In Scotch law. The ancient duty of this officer was to carry publlc messages to foreign states, and it is still the practice of the heralds to make all royal proclamations at the C

In old Roman law. A name given to students of the civil law in the fourth year of their course, from their being supposed capable of solving any difficulty iu law. Tayl. Civll Law,

This letter, used as a Roman numeral, stands for one thousand. It was also, in old English law, a brand or stigma impressed upon the brawn of the thumb of a person convicted of man

A large staff, made of the precious metals, and highly ornamented. It is used as an emblem of authority, and carried before certain publlc functionaries by a mace-bearer. In many l

In Roman law. This was the Senatusconsultum Mace-donianutn, a decree of the Roman senate, first given under Claudius, and renewed under Vespasian, by which it was declared that no

In old English law. One who buys stolen goods, particularly food, knowing it to have been stolen.

Secure against arrest.

A mace-bearer; an officer attending the c

To make a warlike device over a gate or other passage like to a grate, through which scalding water or ponderous or offensive things may he cast upon the assailants. Co. Litt. 5a.

Contriving a plot or conspiracy. The act of planning or contriving a scheme for executing some purpose, particularly an evll purpose; an artful design formed with deliberation.

In patent law. Any contrivance ufeed to' regulate or augment force or motion; more properly, a complex structure, consisting of a combination or peculiar modification, of the mecha

A more comprehensive term than "machine;" including the appurtenances necessary to the working of a machine. Seavey v. Central Mut. F. Ins. Co., Ill Mass. 540.

In old English law. A bam or granary open at the top; a rick or stack of corn. Speiman.

L. Lat In old European law. A murderer.

In old European law. Te wound. Speiman.

Where a writ of scire facias has been actually served upon a defendant, the proper return is that its contents have been "made known" to him.

An insane person, particularly one suffering from mania in any of its forms. Said to be inapplicable to idiots (Com. v. Haskell, 2 Brewst. [Pat) 497); but it is not a technical ter

See Insanity.

A term used to designate the idea or subject to which is confined the derangement of the mental faculties of one suffering from monomania. Owing's Case, 1 Bland (Md.) 388, 17 Am. D

Certain regulations prescribed for the government of the Madras presidency. Mozley & Whitley.

In English statutes. Witchcraft and sorcery.

Lat. More; more fully; more In number; rather.

Co. Litt. 78b. The law favors a good rather than a bad construction. Where the words used in an agreement are susceptible of two meanings, the one agreeable to, the other against,

The more worthy draws to itself the less worthy. Yearb. 20 Hen. VI. 2, arg.

Lat. In English law. A master or ruler; a person who has attained to some eminent degree in science. Cowell. In the civil law. A title of several offices under the Roman Empire. —M

In English ecclesiastical law. Tbs title of an officer who grants dispensations; as to marry, to eat flesh on days prohibited, and the like. Bac. Abr. "Ecolesiastical Courts," A, 5

In Roman law, a person appointed by judicial authority to inventory, collect, and sell the property of an absent or absconding debtor for the banefit of his creditors he was genera

In old English law. Master of the chancery; master in chancery. These officers were said to be called "magstri," because they were priests. Latch, 133.

Master of the horse. A title of office under the Roman Empire.

Relating or pertaining to the character, office, powers or duties of a magistrate or of the magistracy. —Magisterial precinct. In some American states, a local subdivision of a cou

In some American states, a local subdivision of a county, defining the territorini jurisdiction of justices of the peace and constables. Breckinridge Co. v. McCracken, 61 Fed. 194,

Master of requests. A title of office under the Roman Empire.

Master of the suit; the person who controls the suit or its prosecution, or has the right so to do.

In the civil law. The master of a ship or vessel. He to whom the care of the whole vessel is committed. Dig. 14, 1, 1, 1, 5.

Master of the palace or of the offices. An officer under the Roman Empire bearing some resemblance to the modern lord chamberlain. Tayl. Civil Law, 37.

Use is the master of things. Co. Litt 229b. Usage is a principal guide in practico.

Use is the master of things; experience is the mistress of things. Ch Litt. 69, 229; Wing. Max. 752.

In the civil law. The master or manager of a pa' ' nership ; a managing partner or general agent; a manager specially chosen by a firm to administer the affairs of the partnership.

This term may have a more or less extensive signification according to the use and connection in which it occurs. In its widest sense it includes the whole body of public functiona

In old English practice. Magisterial writs; writs adapted to special cases, and se called from being framed by the masters or principal clerks of the chancery. Bract fol. 413b; Cra

A public officer belonging to the civil organization of the state, and invested with powers and functions which may be either judicial, legislative or executive. But the term is co

In American law. Courts in the state of South Carolina, having exclusive jurisdiction in matters of contract of and under twenty dollars. A local court in the city of Philadelphia,

Lat. In the civil law. A magistrate. Calvin. A judicial officer who had the power of hearing and determining causes, but whose office properly was to inquire into matters of law, a

In old English law. The grand assize. Glanv. llb. 2, cc. 11, 12.

An ancient writ to summon four lawful knights before the justices of assize, there to choose twelve others, with themselves to constitute the grand assize or great jury, to try the

In old pleading. Great bsasts, as horses, oxen, etc. Cro. Jac. 580.

The great hundred or six score. Wharton.

The great charter. The name of a charter (or constitutional enactment) granted by King John of England to the barons, at Runnymede, on June 15, 1215, and afterwards, with seme alte

To compare great things with small things.

Great fault; gross negligence.

Gross negligence is fault; gross fault is fraud. Dig. 50, 16, 226.

In the Civll law. Great or gross negligence.

In old English law. A great or general reap-day. Cowell; Blount

In old English law. Grand serjeanty. Fleta, lib. 2, c. 4, § 1.

In old practice. Great or grand cape. 1 Reeve, Eng. Law, 418. See Grand Cape.