Astute

astnti, I. Acute; of nice discrimination. Courts are said to be or not to be astute in particular cases; as, astute to find reasonable distinctions to unreasonable rules; not astute to infer fraud or wrong. At, ad, I fr. Hath. At, et, I. fr. And. At, atte, ate. A part of early English surnames, usually distinctive of the place from which the name was taken: as, Johan' Atte Graschirch. It gradually became changed into a or of, and finally disappeared. At. Primarily it expresses relations of presence, nearness in place or time or direction toward. At and from: words in policies of marine insurance, the meaning of which depends on the situation of the vessel when the insurance is effected. At any time: ever; some time; at all times. At bar: before the court At large: not hmited to any particular matter,, person or place; unconfined, or unrestrained, as an animal in the exercise of its natural freedom. At law: according to law; by, for, or in law. At sea: out of the limits of any port or harbor on the sea coast At sight: in view; on presentation,— applied to bills of exchange.