Ordinance

In American law

An act or regulation of congress; a law or regulation of a municipal corporation. Ordinance of 1787: the ordinance for the government of the territory northwest of the Ohio river, adopted by the continental congress, and affirmed by the firet congress under the constitution.

In old English law

A statute or an act of parliament; strictly, a bill or law which might stand with the old law, and did not alter any statute in force, a.nd which became complete by the royal assent on the parliament roll, without any entry on the statute roll.