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statute |
5 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Retroactive \Re`tro*act"ive\, a. [Cf. F. r['e]troactif.] Fitted or designed to retroact; operating by returned action affecting what is past; retrospective. --Beddoes. {Retroactive law} or {statute} (Law), one which operates to make criminal or punishable, or in any way expressly to affect, acts done prior to the passing of the law. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Statute \Stat"ute\, n. [F. statut, LL statutum from L. statutus p. p. of statuere to set station, ordain, fr status position, station, fr stare, statum, to stand See {Stand}, and cf {Constitute}, {Destitute}.] 1. An act of the legislature of a state or country, declaring, commanding, or prohibiting something a positive law; the written will of the legislature expressed with all the requisite forms of legislation; -- used in distinction fraom {common law}. See {Common law}, under {Common}, a. --Bouvier. Note: Statute is commonly applied to the acts of a legislative body consisting of representatives. In monarchies, legislature laws of the sovereign are called edicts, decrees, ordinances, rescripts, etc In works on international law and in the Roman law, the term is used as embracing all laws imposed by competent authority. Statutes in this sense are divided into statutes real, statutes personal, and statutes mixed; statutes real applying to immovables; statutes personal to movables; and statutes mixed to both classes of property. 2. An act of a corporation or of its founder, intended as a permanent rule or law; as the statutes of a university. 3. An assemblage of farming servants (held possibly by statute) for the purpose of being hired; -- called also {statute fair}. [Eng.] Cf 3d {Mop}, 2. --Halliwell. {Statute book}, a record of laws or legislative acts --Blackstone. {Statute cap}, a kind of woolen cap; -- so called because enjoined to be worn by a statute, dated in 1571, in behalf of the trade of cappers. [Obs.] --Halliwell. {Statute fair}. See {Statute}, n., 3, above. {Statute labor}, a definite amount of labor required for the public service in making roads, bridges, etc., as in certain English colonies. {Statute merchant} (Eng. Law), a bond of record pursuant to the stat. 13 Edw. I., acknowledged in form prescribed, on which if not paid at the day an execution might be awarded against the body, lands, and goods of the debtor, and the obligee might hold the lands until out of the rents and profits of them the debt was satisfied; -- called also a {pocket judgment}. It is now fallen into disuse. --Tomlins. --Bouvier. {Statute mile}. See under {Mile}. {Statute of limitations} (Law), a statute assigned a certain time, after which rights can not be enforced by action {Statute staple}, a bond of record acknowledged before the mayor of the staple, by virtue of which the creditor may on nonpayment, forthwith have execution against the body, lands, and goods of the debtor, as in the statute merchant. It is now disused. --Blackstone. Syn: Act regulation; edict; decree. See {Law}. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: 3. Not invested with or engaged in public office or employment; as a private citizen; private life. --Shak. A private person may arrest a felon. --Blackstone. 4. Not publicly known not open secret; as a private negotiation; a private understanding. 5. Having secret or private knowledge; privy. [Obs.] {Private act} or {statute}, a statute exclusively for the settlement of private and personal interests, of which courts do not take judicial notice; -- opposed to a general law, which operates on the whole community From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Public \Pub"lic\, a. [L. publicus, poblicus fr populus people: cf F. public. See {People}.] 1. Of or pertaining to the people; belonging to the people; relating to or affecting, a nation, state, or community; -- opposed to {private}; as the public treasury. To the public good Private respects must yield. --Milton. He [Alexander Hamilton] touched the dead corpse of the public credit, and it sprung upon its feet. --D. Webster. 2. Open to the knowledge or view of all general; common; notorious; as public report; public scandal. Joseph, . . . not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. --Matt. i. 19. 3. Open to common or general use as a public road; a public house. ``The public street.'' --Shak. {Public act} or {statute} (Law), an act or statute affecting matters of public concern. Of such statutes the courts take judicial notice. {Public credit}. See under {Credit}. {Public funds}. See {Fund}, 3. {Public house}, an inn, or house of entertainment. {Public law}. a See {International law}, under {International}. b A public act or statute. {Public nuisance}. (Law) See under {Nuisance}. {Public orator}. (Eng. Universities) See {Orator}, 3. {Public stores}, military and naval stores, equipments, etc {Public works}, all fixed works built by civil engineers for public use as railways, docks, canals, etc.; but strictly, military and civil engineering works constructed at the public cost. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: statute adj : enacted by a legislative body; "statute law"; "codified written laws" [syn: {codified}, {statute(p)}] n : an act passed by a legislative body [syn: {legislative act}]
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