Legal Term Dictionary

Search our free database of thousands of legal terms. The easiest-to-read, most user-friendly guide to legal terms.This dictionary is from the early 20th century and is not to be construed as legal advice.

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  • PEDDLERS
    Itinerant traders; persons who sell small wares, which they carry with them in traveling about from place to place. In re Wilson, 19 D. C 341, 12 L. R. A. 624; Com. v. Farnum, 114 Mass. 270; Hall v. State, 39 Fla. 637, 23 South. 119 ; Graffty v. Rushville, More...
  • PEDE PULVEROSUS
    In old English and Scotch law. Dusty-foot. A term applied to itinerant merchants, chapmen, or peddlers who attended fairs.
  • PEDERASTY
    In criminal law. The unnatural carnal copulation of male with male, particularly of a man with a boy; a form of sodomy, (g. v.)
  • PEDIGREE
    Lineage; line of ancestors from which a person descends; genealogy. An account or register of a line of ancestors. Family relationship. Swink v. French, 11 Lea (Tenn.) 80, 47 Am. Rep. 277; People v. Mayne, 118 Cal. 516, 50 Pac. 654, 62 Am. St. Rep. 256.
  • PEDIS ABSCISSIO
    Lat In old criminal law. The cutting off a foot; a punishment anciently inflicted Instead of death. Fleta, lib. 1, c. 38.
  • PEDIS POSITIO
    Lat In the civil and old English law. A putting or placing of the foot. A term used to denote the possession of lands by actual corporal entry upon them Waggoner v. Hastings, 5 Pa. 303
  • PEDIS POSSESSIO
    Lat A foothold; an actual possession. To constitute adverse possession there must be pedis possessio, or a substantial inclosure. 2 Bouv. Inst. no. 2103; Bailey v. Irby, 2 Nott A McC. (S. C) 343, 10 Am. Dec 609.
  • PEDONES
    Foot-soldiers.
  • PEERAGE
    The rank or dignity of a peer or nobleman. Also the body of nobles taken collectively.
  • PEERESS
    A woman who belongs to the nobility, which may be either in her own right or by right of marriage.
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