Root
Defined in 3 dictionaries — Cyclopedic (1922), Ballentine's (1916), Bouvier (1914)
The Cyclopedic Law Dictionary
Walter A. Shumaker and George Foster Longsdorf; ed. James C. Cahill · 1922
In a figurative sense, the term "root" is used to signify the person from whom one or more others are descended.
Ballentine's Law Dictionary
James A. Ballentine · 1916
Bouvier's Law Dictionary and Concise Encyclopedia
John Bouvier; revised by Francis Rawle · 1914
The part of a tree or plant under ground from which it draws most of its nourishment from the earth. See Tree.
In a figurative sense, root is used to signify the person from whom one or more others are descended. See Consanguinity; Line. ROTA (Lat). A court. A celebrated court of appeals at Rome, of which one judge must be a German, one a Frenchman, two Spaniards, and eight Italians. Encyc. Brit Its decisions had great weight, hut were not law, although judged by the law. There was also a celebrated rota at Genoa about the sixteenth century, or before, whose decisions in maritime matters form the first part of titraccha de Merc. See Ingersolfs Boecus. R0TULI PIP/E. See Pipe Rolls. R0TULI SCACCARII. Exchequer rolls. See Scaccarium; Roll. R0TURIER. In Old French Law. One not noble. Diet, de VAcad. Franc. A free commoner; one who did not hold his land by homage and fealty, yet owed certain services. Howard, Diet, de N orinande.