Legal Term Dictionary

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  • ELECTROCUTE
    To put to death by passing through the body a current of elec; trlcity of high power. This term, descriptive of the method of Inflicting the death penalty on convicted criminals in some of the states, is a vulgar neologism of hybrid origin, which should be discountenanced.
  • ELEEMOSYNA REGIS, AND ELEEMOSYNA ARATRI, OR CARUCARUM
    A penny which King Ethelred ordered to be paid for every plow in England towards the support of the poor. Leg. Ethel, c. 1.
  • ELEEMOSYNAE
    Possessions belonging to the church. Blount
  • ELEEMOSYNARIA
    The place in a religious house where the common alms were deposited, and thence by the almoner distributed to the poor. In old English law. The aumerie, auntbry, or ambry; words still used in common speech in the north of England, to denote a pantry or cupboard. Cowell. The office More...
  • ELEEMOSYNARIUS
    In old English law. An almoner, or chief officer, who received the eleemosynary rents anl gifts, and in due method distributed them to pious and charitable uses. Cowell; Wharton. The name of an officer (lord almoner) of the English kings, in former times, who distributed the royal alms or bounty. More...
  • ELEEMOSYNARY
    Relating to the distribution of alms, bounty, or charity; charitable. -Eleemosynary corporations. See CORPORATIONS.
  • ELEGANTER
    In the civil law. Accurately; with discrimination. Veazie v. Williams, 3 Story, 611, 636, Fed. Cas. No. 16,907.
  • ELEGIT
    (Lat. He has chosen.) This Is the name, in English practice, of a writ of execution first given by the statute of Westm. 2 (13 Edw. I. c. 18) either upon a judgment for a debt or damages or upon the forfeiture of a recognizance taken in the king's court More...
  • ELEMENTS
    The forces of nature. The elements are the means through which God acts, and "damages by the elements" means the same thing as "damages by the act of God." Polack v. Pioche, 35 Cal. 416, 95 Am. Dec 115; Van Wornier v. Crane. 51 Mich. 363, 16 N. W. 686, More...
  • ELIGIBLE
    As applied to a candidate for an elective office, this term means capable of being chosen; the subject of selection or choice; and also implies competency to hold the office If chosen. Demaree v. Scates, 50 Kan. 275, 32 Pac. 1123, 20 L. R. A. 97, 34 Am. St Rep. More...
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