Legal Term Dictionary

A place or room in religious houses used for the reception of guests and strangers.

A place or room in religious houses used for the reception of guests and strangers. Less...

Having the character of an enemy; standing in the relation of an enemy. See 1 Kent Comm. c. 4. -Hostile embargo. One laid upon the vessels of an actual or prospective enemy.-Hostile possession. This term as applied to an occupant of real estate holding adversely, is not construed as implying More...

Having the character of an enemy; standing in the relation of an enemy. See 1 Kent Comm. c. 4. -Hostile embargo. One laid upon the vessels of an actual or prospective enemy.-Hostile possession. This term as applied to an occupant of real estate holding adversely, is not construed as implying actual enmity or ill will, but merely means that he claims to hold the possession in the character of an owner, and therefore denies all validity to claims set up by any and all other persons. Ballard v. Hansen, 33 Neb. 8G1, 51 N. W. 295; Griffin v. Mulley, 167 Pa. 339, 81 Atl. 664.-Hostile witness.. A witness who manifests so much hostility or prejudice under examination in chief that the party who has called him, or his representative. Is allowed to cross-examine him, i. e., to treat him as though he had been called by the opposite party. Wharton. Less...

In the law of nations. A state of open war. "At the breaking out of hostility." 1 Kent Comm. 60. An act of open war. "When hostilities have commenced." Id. 56. A hostile character. "Hostility may attach only to the person." Id.

In the law of nations. A state of open war. "At the breaking out of hostility." 1 Kent Comm. 60. An act of open war. "When hostilities have commenced." Id. 56. A hostile character. "Hostility may attach only to the person." Id. Less...

In Norman and old English law, this was the title of the officer in a monastery charged with the entertainment of guests. It was also applied (until about the time of Queen Elizabeth) to an innkeeper, and afterwards, when the keeping of horses at livery became a distinct occupation, to More...

In Norman and old English law, this was the title of the officer in a monastery charged with the entertainment of guests. It was also applied (until about the time of Queen Elizabeth) to an innkeeper, and afterwards, when the keeping of horses at livery became a distinct occupation, to the keeper of a livery stable, and then (under the modern form "ostler") to the groom in charge of the stables of an inn. Cromwell v. Stephens, 2 Daly (N. Y.) 20. In the language of railroading, an "ostler" or "hostler" at a roundhouse is one whose duty it is to receive locomotives as they come in from the road, care for them in the roundhouse, and have them cleaned and ready for departure when wanted. Railroad Co. v. Mas-slg, 50 111. App. 666; Railroad Go. v. Ashling, 34 111. App. 105; Grannis v. Railroad Co., 81 Iowa, 444, 46 N. W. 1067. Less...

In old English law. This was a test in cases of accusation, by hot water; the party accused and suspected being appointed by the judge to put his arms up to the elbows in seething hot water, which, after sundry prayers and invocations, he did, and was, by the effect More...

In old English law. This was a test in cases of accusation, by hot water; the party accused and suspected being appointed by the judge to put his arms up to the elbows in seething hot water, which, after sundry prayers and invocations, he did, and was, by the effect which followed, judged guilty or innocent. Wharton. Less...

The blending and mixing property belonging to different persons, in order to divide it equally. 2 BL Comm. 190. Anciently applied to the mixing and blending of lands given to one daughter in frank marriage, with those descending to her and her sisters in fee-simple, for the purpose of dividing More...

The blending and mixing property belonging to different persons, in order to divide it equally. 2 BL Comm. 190. Anciently applied to the mixing and blending of lands given to one daughter in frank marriage, with those descending to her and her sisters in fee-simple, for the purpose of dividing the whole equally among them; without which the daughter who held in frank marriage could have no share In the lands in fee-simple. Litt 267, 268; Co. Litt. 177"; 2 Bl. Comm. 190. Hotchpot, or the putting in hotchpot, is applied in modern law to the throwing the amount of an advancement made to a particular child, in real or personal estate, into the common stock, for the purpose of a more equal division, or of equalizing the shares of all the children. 2 Kent Comm. 421, 422. This answers to or resembles the collatio bonorum, or collation of the civil law. See Law v. Smith, 2 R. I. 249; Ray v. Loper, 65 Mo. 472; Jackson v. Jackson, 28 Miss. 680, 64 Am. Dec. 114;. Thompson v. Carmichael, 8 Sandf. Ch. (N. Y.) 120. Less...

An inn; a public house or tavern; a house for entertaining strangers or travelers. St. Louis v. Siegrist, 46 Mo. 594; People v. Jones, 54 Barb. (N. Y.) 316; Cromwell v. Stephens, 2 Daly (N. Y.) 19. -Synonyms. In law, there is no difference whatever between the terms "hotel," "inn," More...

An inn; a public house or tavern; a house for entertaining strangers or travelers. St. Louis v. Siegrist, 46 Mo. 594; People v. Jones, 54 Barb. (N. Y.) 316; Cromwell v. Stephens, 2 Daly (N. Y.) 19. -Synonyms. In law, there is no difference whatever between the terms "hotel," "inn," and "tavern." except that in some states a statutory definition has been given to the word "hotel, especially with reference to the grant of licenses to sell liquor, as, that it shall contain a certain number of separate rooms for the entertainment of guests, or the like. But none of the three terms mentioned will include a boarding house (because that is a place kept for tbe entertainment of permanent boarders, while a hotel or inn is for travelers and transient guests), nor a lodging house (because the keeper thereof does not furnish food for guests, which is one of the requisites of a hotel or inn), nor a restaurant or eating-house, which furnishes food only and not lodging. See Martin v. State Ins. Co., 44 N. J. Law, 485, 43 Am. Rep. 397; In re Liquor Licenses, 4 Montg. Co. Law Rep'r (Pa.) 79; Kelly v. Excise Com'rs. 54 How. Prac. (N. Y.) 331; Carpenter v. Taylor, 1 Hilt. (N. Y.) 193: Cromwell v. Stephens, 2 Daly (N. Y.) 23. Less...

The twenty-fourth part of a natural day; sixty minutes of time.

The twenty-fourth part of a natural day; sixty minutes of time. Less...

In Scotch practice. The hour when a court is met 3 How. State Tr. 603.

In Scotch practice. The hour when a court is met 3 How. State Tr. 603. Less...

1. A dwelling; a building designed for the habitation and residence of men. "House" means, presumptively, a dwelling-house i a building divided into floors and apartments, with four walls, a roof, and doors and chimneys; but it does not necessarily mean precisely this. Daniel v. Coulsting, 7 Man. & O. More...

1. A dwelling; a building designed for the habitation and residence of men. "House" means, presumptively, a dwelling-house i a building divided into floors and apartments, with four walls, a roof, and doors and chimneys; but it does not necessarily mean precisely this. Daniel v. Coulsting, 7 Man. & O. 125; Surman v. Darley, 14 Mees. & W. 183. "House" is not synonymous with "dwelling-house." While the former is used in a broader and more comprehensive sense than the latter, it has a narrower and more restricted meaning than the word "building." State v. Garity, 46 N. H. 61. In the devise of a house, the word "house" is synonymous with "messuage," and conveys all that comes within the curtilage. Rogers v. Smith, 4 Pa. 93. 2. A legislative assembly, or (where the bicameral system obtains) one of the two branches of the legislature; as the "house of lords," "house of representatives." Also a quorum of a legislative body. See South-worth v. Palmyra & J. R. Co., 2 Mich. 287. 3. The name "house" is also given to some collections of men other than legislative bodies, to some public institutions, and (colloquially) to mercantile firms or joint-stock companies. -Ancient house. One which has stood long enough to acquire an easement of support against the adjoining land or building. 3 Kent Comm.. 437.-Bawdy house. A brothel; a bouse maintained for purposes of prostitution.-Rear house. See BEER.-Boarding house. See that title.-Dwelling house. See that title. -House-bote. A species of estovers, belonging to a tenant for life or years, consisting in the right to take from the Woods of the lessor or owner such timber as may be necessary for making repairs upon the house. See Co. Litt 41b.-House-burning. See ABSON.-House-duty. A tax on inhabited houses imposed by 14 & 15 Vict. c. 36, in lieu of window-duty, which was abolished.-House of commons. One of the constituent houses of the British parliament; composed of representatives of the counties, cities, and boroughs.-House of correction. A reformatory. A place for the imprisonment of juvenile offenders, or those who nave committed crimes of lesser magnitude. Ex parte Moon Fook, 72 Cal. 10, 12 Pac. 804.- ouse of delegates. The official title of the lower branch of the legislative assembly of several of the American states, e. g., Maryland o and Virginia.-House of Ul fame. A bawdy-house ; a brothel; a dwelling allowed by its chief occupant to be used as a resort of persons desiring unlawful sexual intercourse. McAlis-ter v. Clark. 33 Conn. 91; State v. Smith, 29 Minn. 193, 12 N. W. 524; Posnett v. Marble, 62 Vt. 481. 20 Atl. 813, 11 L. R. A. 162, 22 Am. St. Ren. 126.-House of keys. The name of the lower branch of the legislative assembly or parliament of the Isle of Man, consisting of twenty-four representatives chosen by popular election.-House of lords. Hie upper chamber of the British parliament. It comprises the archbishops and bishops, (called "Lords* Spiritual,") the English peers sitting by virtue of hereditary right, sixteen Scotch peers elected to represent the Scotch peerage under the act of union, add twenty-eight Irish peers elected under similar, provisions. The house of lords, as a judicial body, has ultimate appellate jurisdiction, and may1sit as a court for the trial of impeachments.-House of refuge. A prison for juvenile delinquents. A house of correction or reformatory.-House of representatives. The name of the body forming the more popular and numerous branch of the congress' of the United States f also of the similar branch in many of the state legislatures. -House of worship. A building or place set apart for and .devoted to the holding of religious services or exercises or public worship; a church or chapel or place similarly used. Old South. Soc, s. Boston, 127 Mass. 379; Lefevre s. Detroit, 2 Mich. 589; Washington Heights M. E. Church v. New York, 20 Hun (N. Y.) 297.-Inner house, outer house. See those titles.-Mansion house. See MANSION.- Public house. An inn or tavern; a house for the entertainment of the public, or for the entertainment of ail who come lawfully and pay regularly. 8 Brewst 344. A place of public resort, particularly for purposes of drinking or gaming. In a more general sense, any house made public by the occupation carried on in it and the implied invitation to the public to enter, such as inns, taverns, drinking saloons, gambling houses, and perhaps also shops and stores. See Cole v. State, 28. Tex. App. 536, 13 S. W. 850, 19 Am. St Rep. 856; State v. Barns, 25 Tex. 655; Arnold v. State, 29 Ala. 50; Lafferty v. State, 41 Tex. Or. R. 606, 56 S. W. 623; Bentley v. State, 32 Ala. 599; Brown v. State, 27 Ala. 50.-Tippling house. A place where intoxicating liquors are sold in drams or small quantities to he drunk On the premises, and where men resort for drinking purposes. Less...