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.

Search
  • DRAIN
    n. A trench or ditch to convey water from wet land; a channel through which water may flow off. The word has no technical legal meaning. Any hollow space in the ground, natural or artificial, where water is collected and passes off, is a ditch or drain. Goldthwait v. East More...
  • DRAM
    In common parlance, this term means a drink of some substance containing alcohol, something which can produce intoxication. Lacy v. State, 32 Tex. 228. -Dram-shop. A drinking saloon, where liquors are sold to be drunk on the premises. Wright v. People, 101 111. 129; Brockway v. State, 36 Ark. 636; More...
  • DRAMATIC COMPOSITION
    In copy right law. A literary work setting forth a story, incident or scene from life, in which, however, the narrative is not related, but is represented by a dialogue and action; may include a descriptive poem set to music, or a pantomine, but not a composition for musical instruments More...
  • DRAW
    n. 1. A movable section of a bridge, which may be raised up or turned to one side, so as to admit the passage of vessels. Gildersleeve v. Railroad Co. (D. C.) 82 Fed. 766; Hughes v. Railroad Co. (C. C.) 18 Fed. 114; Railroad Co. v. Daniels, 90 Ga. More...
  • DRAW
    v. In old criminal practice. To drag (on a hurdle) to the place of execution. Anciently no hurdle was allowed, but the criminal was actually dragged along the road to the place of execution. A part of the ancient punishment of traitors was the being thus drawn. 4 Bl. Comm. More...
  • DRAWBACK
    In the customs laws, this term denotes an allowance made by the government upon the duties due on imported merchandise when the importer, instead of selling it here, re-exports it; or the refunding of such duties if already paid. This allowance amounts, in some cases, to the whole of the More...
  • DRAWEE
    A person to whom a bill of exchange is addressed, and who is requested to pay the amount of money therein mentioned.
  • DRAWER
    The person making a bill of exchange and addressing it to the drawee. Stevenson v. Walton, 2 Smedes & M. (Miss.) 265; Winnebago County State Bank v. HUB-, tel, 119 Iowa, 115, 93 N. W. 70.
  • DRAWING
    In patent law. A representation of the appearance of material objects by means of lines and marks upon paper, card-board, or other substance. Ampt v. Cincinnati, 8 Ohio Dec. 628.
  • DRAWLATCHES
    Thieves; robbers. Cowell.
Showing 4590 of 14636