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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  • HALYMOTE
    A holy or ecclesiastical court. A court held in London before the lord mayor and sheriffs, for regulating the bakers. It was anciently held on Sunday next be- fore St Thomas' day, and therefore called the "holymote" or holy court Cowell.
  • HALYWERCFOLK
    Sax. In old English law. Tenants who held land by the service of repairing or defending a church or monument, whereby they were exempted from feudal and military services.
  • HAMA
    In old English law. A hook; an engine with which a house on fire is pulled down. Yel. 60. A piece of land.
  • HAMBLING
    In forest law. The hox-ing or hock-sinewing of dogs; an old mode of laming or disabling dogs. Termes de la Ley.
  • HAMESECKEN
    In Scotch law. The violent entering into a man's house without license or against the peace, and the seeking and assaulting him there. Skene de Verb. Sign.; 2 Forb. Inst 139. The crime of housebreaking or burglary. 4 Bl. Comm. 223.
  • HAMFARE
    (Sax. From ham, a house.) In Saxon law. An assault made in a house; a breach of the peace in a private house.
  • HAMLET
    A small village; a part or member of a vill. It Is the diminutive of "ham" a village. Cowell. See Rex. v. Morris, 4 Term, 552.
  • HAMMA
    A close joining to a house; a croft; a little meadow. Cowell.
  • HAMMER
    Metaphorically, a forced sale or sale at public auction. "To bring to the hammer," to put up for sale at auction. "Sold under the hammer," sold by an officer of the law or by an auctioneer.
  • HAMSOCNE
    In Saxon law. The right of security and privacy in a man's house. Du Cange. The breach of this privilege by a forcible entry of a house is breach of the peace. Du Cange.
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