Naturalize
Defined in 3 dictionaries — Black's (1910), Black's (1891), Abbott (1879)
Black's Law Dictionary
Henry Campbell Black, M.A. · 1910
A Dictionary of Law
Henry Campbell Black · 1891
To confer citizenship upon an alien; to make a foreigner the same, in respect to rights and privileges, as if he were a native citizen or subject.
Dictionary of Terms and Phrases Used in American or English Jurisprudence
Benjamin Vaughan Abbott · 1879
To impart, by a proceeding, the privileges and rights in the nation usually founded on nativity; to make one a citizen. Naturalization: a proceeding by which an alien may be constituted a citizen. Naturalized: made a citizen by adoption. Naturalized citizen. One who, being alien by bu'th, has received citizenship by law. Naturalization is the making a foreigner a lawful subject of the state, or, as it is sometimes termed, the king's natural subject. Formerly, an act of parliament was required in each particular case to naturalize an alien; the king, by his letters-patent, might denizenize, but not naturalize. However, by the Stat. 7 & 8 Vict. ch. 66, which was a general act, it was enacted that aliens of friendly states might become naturalized British subjects upon complying with the requisites of the act. And now, by the are afforded, and the important privilege of expatriation is conferred; also, the evil or inconvenience of a " double allegiance " is remedied.