1. Guarding; care; charge; as, the ward of a castle; so in the phrase "watch and ward.2. A division in the city of London committed to the special ward (guardianship) of an alderman. 3. A territorial division is adopted In most American cities by which the municipality is separated Into
More... 1. Guarding; care; charge; as, the ward of a castle; so in the phrase "watch and ward.2. A division in the city of London committed to the special ward (guardianship) of an alderman. 3. A territorial division is adopted In most American cities by which the municipality is separated Into a number of pre¬cincts or districts called "wards" for purposes of police, sanitary regulations, preven¬tion of fires, elections, etc. 4. A corridor, room, or other division of a prison, hospital, or asylum. 5. An infant placed by authority of law under the care of a guardian. The person over whom or over whose property a guardian is appointed is called his "ward." Civ. Code Cal. ( 237.—Ward-corn. In old English law. The duty of keeping watch and ward, with a horn to blow upon any occasion of surprise. 1 Mon. Ang. 076.—Ward-fegb. Sax. In old records. Ward-fee; the value of a ward, or the money paid to the lord for his redemption from ward¬ship. Blount—Ward-holding*. In old Scotch law. Tenure by military service; the proper feudal tenure of Scotland. Abolished by St. 20 Geo. II. c 50. Ersk. Prin. 2, 4, 1.—Ward in chancery. An infant who is under the super¬intendence of the chancellor.—Ward-mote. In English law. A court kept in every ward in London, commonly called the "ward-mote court," or "inquest." Cowell.—Ward-penny. In old English law. Money paid to the sheriff or cas-tellains, for the duty of watching and warding a castle, Spelman.—Ward-staff. In old rec¬ords. A constable's or watchman's staff. Co-well.—Ward-wit. In old English law. Im¬munity or exemption from the duty or service of ward, or from contributing to such service. Spelman. Exemption from amercement for not finding a man to do ward. Fleta, lib. 1, c. 47, | 16.—Wardage. Money paid and contributed to watch and ward. Domesday.—Wards of admiralty. Seamen are sometimes thus des¬ignated, because, in view of their general im¬providence and rashness, the admiralty courts are accustomed to scrutinize with great care their bargains and engagements, when brought before them, with a view to protecting them against imposition and overreaching.—Ward¬ship. In military tenures, the right of the lord to have custody, as guardian, of the body and lands of the infant heir, without any account of profits, until he was twenty-one or she sixteen. In socage the guardian was account-able for profits; and he was not the lord, but the nearest relative to whom the inheritance could not descend, and the wardship ceased at fourteen. In copyholds, the lord was the guard¬ian, but was perhaps accountable for profits. Stim. Gloss. See 2 Bl. Comm. 67.—Wardship in chivalry. An incident to the tenure of knight-service.—Wardship in oopyholds. The lord is guardian of his infant tenant by special custom.
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