single

Enters into some legal phrases. Single bill, or bond. An obligation for payment of money, draughted without a condition or defeasance. Single demise. A declaration in ejectment might contain either one demise or several. When it contained only one, it was called a declaration with a single demise. In order to maintain an action of ejectment, he who was alleged as making the demise must always have had the legal estate in the premises sought to be recovered; and hence, whenever a doubt existed as to whether the legal estate was in one of several persons, it was usual, in framing the declaration, to insert a demise by each. In such cases, the declaration was said to contain several demises; and the action was then entitled " John Doe, on the several demises of A, B, and C," meaning the several lessors. In England, since the common-law procedure acts, no demise at all is necessary in ejectment, but the action proceeds against the actual tenant in possession, as nearly as may be in accordance with the rules in other actions; and similar, and even more radical, changes have been introduced in most of the United States. Single man. In the construction of a benevolent statute of the government, inviting its own citizens to settle on its dismay, especially if aided by the context and other parts of the statute, be held to include an unmarried woman. Silver v. Ladd, 7 Wall. 219.

By itself, unconnected. A single bill is one without any condition, and does not depend upon any future event to give it validity. Vide Simplez.