Webster's Unabridged Dictionary - Letter L - Page 21
Compare: Pollack
Pollack (n.) (Zool.) A marine gadoid food fish of Europe ({Pollachius virens). Called also greenfish, greenling, lait, leet, lob, lythe, and whiting pollack.
Pollack (n.) (Zool.) The American pollock; the coalfish.
Leet (obs. imp.) of Let, to allow. -- Chaucer.
Leet (n.) A portion; a list, esp. a list of candidates for an office. [Scot.]
Leet (n.) (Eng. Hist.) A court-leet; the district within the jurisdiction of a court-leet; the day on which a court-leet is held. -- Shak.
Note: The original intent of the court-leet was to view the frankpledges or freemen within the liberty; hence called the view of frankpledge. Latterly it has fallen into almost entire disuse. -- Burrill. Warren's Blackstone.
Leet ale, A feast or merrymaking in time of leet. [Obs.]
Leet (n.) (Zool.) The European pollock.
Compare: Lythe
Lythe (n.) (Zool.) The European pollack; -- called also laith, and leet. [Scot.] Elite
Leet, () A term used to describe skilled crackers or hackers, or their deeds. In the last sense, compare to elegant.
The term is also used to describe exclusive forums ({ftp sites, BBSs) used for trading pirated software, cracking tools, or phreaking codes. (1997-01-31)
Leetmen (n. pl. ) of Leetman
Leetman (n.) One subject to the jurisdiction of a court-leet.
Leeward (a.) (Naut.) Pertaining to, or in the direction of, the part or side toward which the wind blows; -- opposed to windward; as, a leeward berth; a leeward ship.
Leeward (n.) The lee side; the lee.
Leeward (adv.) Toward the lee.
Leeward (adv.) Toward the wind; "they were sailing leeward" [syn: leeward, upwind] [ant: downwind, windward].
Leeward (a.) On the side away from the wind; "on the leeward side of the island" [ant: windward].
Leeward (n.) The direction in which the wind is blowing [ant: windward].
Leeward (n.) The side of something that is sheltered from the wind [syn: lee, lee side, leeward] [ant: windward].
Leeway (n.) (Naut.) The lateral movement of a ship to the leeward of her course; drift.
Leeway (n.) (Of a ship or plane) Sideways drift.
Leeway (n.) A permissible difference; allowing some freedom to move within limits [syn: allowance, leeway, margin, tolerance].
Left (imp. & p. p.) of Leave.
Left (a.) Of or pertaining to that side of the body in man on which the muscular action of the limbs is usually weaker than on the other side; -- opposed to right, when used in reference to a part of the body; as, the left hand, or arm; the left ear. Also said of the corresponding side of the lower animals.
Left (a.) Situated so that the left side of the body is toward it; as, the left side of a deliberative meeting is that to the left of the presiding officer; the left wing of an army is that to the left of the center to one facing an enemy.
Left bank of a river, That which is on the left hand of a person whose face is turned downstream.
Left bower. See under 2d Bower.
Left center, The members whose sympathies are, in the main, with the members of the Left, but who do not favor extreme courses, and on occasions vote with the government. They sit between the Center and the extreme Left.
Over the left shoulder, or Over the left, An old but still current colloquialism, or slang expression, used as an aside to indicate insincerity, negation, or disbelief; as, he said it, and it is true, -- over the left.
Left (n.) That part of surrounding space toward which the left side of one's body is turned; as, the house is on the left when you face North.
Put that rose a little more to the left. -- Ld. Lytton.
Left (n.) Those members of a
legislative assembly (as in France) who are in the opposition; the advanced
republicans and extreme radicals. They have their seats at the left-hand side
of the presiding officer.
Left (adv.) Toward or on the left; also used figuratively; "he looked right and left"; "the political party has moved left" [ant: right].
Left (a.) Being or located on or directed toward the side of the body to the west when facing north; "my left hand"; "left center field"; "the left bank of a river is bank on your left side when you are facing downstream" [ant: right].
Left (a.) Not used up; "leftover meatloaf"; "she had a little money left over so she went to a movie"; "some odd dollars left"; "saved the remaining sandwiches for supper"; "unexpended provisions" [syn: leftover, left over(p), left(p), odd, remaining, unexpended].
Left (a.) Intended for the left hand; "I rarely lose a left-hand glove" [syn: left(a), left-hand(a)].
Left (a.) Of or belonging to the political or intellectual left [ant: center, right].
Left (n.) Location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east; "she stood on the left" [ant: right].
Left (n.) Those who support varying degrees of social or political or economic change designed to promote the public welfare [syn: left, left wing].
Left (n.) The hand that is on the left side of the body; "jab with your left" [syn: left, left hand].
Left (n.) The piece of ground in the outfield on the catcher's left; "the batter flied out to left" [syn: left field, leftfield, left].
Left (n.) A turn toward the side of the body that is on the north when the person is facing east; "take a left at the corner".
Left-hand (a.) Situated on the left; nearer the left hand than the right; as, the left-hand side; the left-hand road.
Left-hand rope, Rope laid up and twisted over from right to left, or against the sun; -- called also water-laid rope.
Left-hand (a.) Intended for the left hand; "I rarely lose a left-hand glove" [syn: left(a), left-hand(a)].
Left-hand (a.) Located on or directed toward the left; "a car with left-hand drive".
Left-handed (a.) Having the left hand or arm stronger and more dexterous than the right; using the left hand and arm with more dexterity than the right.
Left-handed (a.) Clumsy; awkward; unlucky; insincere; sinister; malicious; as, a left-handed compliment.
The commendations of this people are not always left-handed and detractive. -- Landor.
Left-handed (a.) Having a direction contrary to that of the hands of a watch when seen in front; -- said of a twist, a rotary motion, etc., looked at from a given direction.
Left-handed marriage, A morganatic marriage. See Morganatic.
Left-handed screw, A screw constructed to advance away from the observer, when turned, as in a nut, with a left-handed rotation. An ordinary wood screw is right-handed. Left-handedness
Left-handed (a.) Using or intended for the left hand; "left-handed golfers need left-handed clubs"; "left-handed scissors" [ant: ambidextrous, right-handed, two-handed].
Left-handed (a.) (Of marriages) Illicit or informal; "in Colonial America left-handed marriages between Frenchmen and Indians were frequent".
Left-handed (a.) (Of marriages) Of a marriage between one of royal or noble birth and one of lower rank; valid but with the understanding that the rank of the inferior remains unchanged and offspring do not succeed to titles or property of the superior [syn: morganatic, left-handed].
Left-handed (a.) (Of marriages) Rotating to the left [syn: levorotary, levorotatory, left-handed].
Left-handed (a.) (Of marriages) Ironically ambiguous; "a left-handed compliment"….
Left-handed (a.) (Of marriages) Lacking physical movement skills, especially with the hands; "a bumbling mechanic"; "a bungling performance"; "ham-handed governmental interference"; "could scarcely empty a scuttle of ashes, so handless was the poor creature"- Mary H. Vorse [syn: bumbling, bungling, butterfingered, ham-fisted, ham-handed, handless, heavy-handed, left-handed].
Left-handed. () (Judg. 3:15; 20:16), one unable to use the right hand skilfully, and who therefore uses the left; and also one who uses the left as well as the right, ambidexter. Such a condition of the hands is due to physical causes. This quality was common apparently in the tribe of Benjamin.
Left-handedness (n.) Alt. of Left-handiness
Left-handiness (n.) The state or quality of being left-handed; awkwardness.
An awkward address, ungraceful attitudes and actions, and a certain left-handiness (if I may use the expression) proclaim low education. -- Chesterfield. lefthander
Left-handedness (n.) The status of being born of a morganatic marriage
Left-handedness (n.) Preference for using the left hand [syn: left-handedness, sinistrality].
Left-off (a.) Laid aside; cast-off.
Leftward (adv.) Toward or on the left side.
Rightward and leftward rise the rocks. -- Southey.
Leful (a.) See Leveful. [Obs.] -- Chaucer.
Leg (n.) A limb or member of an animal used for supporting the body, and in running, climbing, and swimming; esp., that part of the limb between the knee and foot.
Leg (n.) That which resembles a leg in form or use; especially, any long and slender support on which any object rests; as, the leg of a table; the leg of a pair of compasses or dividers.
Leg (n.) The part of any article of clothing which covers the leg; as, the leg of a stocking or of a pair of trousers.
Leg (n.) A bow, esp. in the phrase to make a leg; probably from drawing the leg backward in bowing. [Obs.]
He that will give a cap and make a leg in thanks for a favor he never received. -- Fuller.
Leg (n.) A disreputable sporting character; a blackleg. [Slang, Eng.]
Leg (n.) (Naut.) The course and distance made by a vessel on one tack or between tacks.
Leg (n.) (Steam Boiler) An extension of the boiler downward, in the form of a narrow space between vertical plates, sometimes nearly surrounding the furnace and ash pit, and serving to support the boiler; -- called also water leg.
Leg (n.) (Grain Elevator) The case containing the lower part of the belt which carries the buckets.
Leg (n.) (Cricket) A fielder whose position is on the outside, a little in rear of the batter.
Leg (n.) (Math.) Either side of a triangle distinguished from the base or, in a right triangle, from the hypotenuse; also, an indefinitely extending branch of a curve, as of a hyperbola.
Leg (n.) (Telephony) A branch or lateral circuit connecting an instrument with the main line.
Leg (n.) (Elec.) A branch circuit; one phase of a polyphase system.
A good leg (Naut.), A course sailed on a tack which is near the desired course.
Leg bail, Escape from custody by flight. [Slang]
Legs of an hyperbola (or other curve) (Geom.), The branches of the curve which extend outward indefinitely.
Legs of a triangle, The sides of a triangle; -- a name seldom used unless one of the sides is first distinguished by some appropriate term; as, the hypothenuse and two legs of a right-angled triangle.
On one's legs, Standing to speak.
On one's last legs. See under Last.
To have legs (Naut.), To have speed.
To stand on one's own legs, To support one's self; to be independent.
Leg (v. t.) To use as a leg, with it as object:
Leg (v. t.) To bow. [Obs.]
Leg (v. t.) To run. [Low]
Leg (n.) A human limb; commonly used to refer to a whole limb but technically only the part of the limb between the knee and ankle.
Leg (n.) A structure in animals that is similar to a human leg and used for locomotion.
Leg (n.) One of the supports for a piece of furniture.
Leg (n.) A part of a forked or branching shape; "he broke off one of the branches" [syn: branch, leg, ramification].
Leg (n.) The limb of an animal used for food.
Leg (n.) A prosthesis that replaces a missing leg [syn: peg, wooden leg, leg, pegleg].
Leg (n.) A cloth covering consisting of the part of a pair of trousers that covers a person's leg.
Leg (n.) (Nautical) The distance traveled by a sailing vessel on a single tack.
Leg (n.) A section or portion of a journey or course; "then we embarked on the second stage of our Caribbean cruise" [syn: stage, leg].
Legacies (n. pl. ) of Legacy
Legacy (n.) A gift of property by will, esp. of money or personal property; a bequest. Also Fig.; as, a legacy of dishonor or disease.
Legacy (n.) A business with which one is intrusted by another; a commission; -- obsolete, except in the phrases last legacy, dying legacy, and the like.
My legacy and message wherefore I am sent into the world. -- Tyndale.
He came and told his legacy. -- Chapman.
Legacy duty, A tax paid to government on legacies. -- Wharton.
Legacy hunter, One who flatters and courts any one for the sake of a legacy.
Legacy (n.) (Law) A gift of personal property by will [syn: bequest, legacy].
Legacy system
Legacy
Legacy code
Legacy software, () A computer system or application program which continues to be used because of the cost of replacing or redesigning it and often despite its poor competitiveness and compatibility with modern equivalents. The implication is that the system is large, monolithic and difficult to modify.
If legacy software only runs on antiquated hardware the cost of maintaining this may eventually outweigh the cost of replacing both the software and hardware unless some form of emulation or backward compatibility allows the software to run on new hardware. (1998-08-09)
Legacy. () A bequest or gift of goods or chattels by testament. 2 Bl. Com. 512; Bac. Abr. Legacies, A. See Merlin, Repertoire, mot Legs, s. 1; Swinb. 17; Domat, liv. 4, t. 2, Sec. 1, n. 1. This word, though properly applicable to bequests of personal estate only, has nevertheless been extended to property not technically within its import, in order to effectuate the intention of the testator, so as to include real property and annuities. 5 T. R. 716; 1 Burr. 268; 7 Ves. 522; Id. 391; 2 Cain. R. 345. Devise is the term more properly applied to gifts of real estate. Godolph. 271.
Legacy. () As the testator is presumed at the time of making his will to be inops concilii, his intention is to, be sought for, and any words which manifest the intention to give or create a legacy, are sufficient. Godolph. 281, pt. 3, c. 22, s. 21; Com. Dig. Chancery, 3 Y 4; Bac. Abr. Legacies, B 1.
Legacy. () Legacies are of different kinds; they may be considered as general, specific, and residuary. 1. A legacy is general, when it is so given as not to amount to a bequest of a specific part of a testator's personal estate; as of a sum of money generally, or out of the testator's personal estate, or the like. 1 Rop. Leg. 256; Lown. Leg. 10. A general legacy is relative to the testator's death; it is a bequest of such a sum or such a thing at that time, or a direction to the executors, if such a thing be not in the testator's possession at that time, to procure it for the legatee. Cas. Temp. Talb. 227; Amb. 57; 4 Ves. jr. 675; 7 Ves. jr. 399.
Legacy. () A specific legacy is a bequest of a particular thing, or money specified and distinguished from all other things of the same kind; as of a particular horse, a particular piece of plate, a particular term of years, and the like, which would vest immediately, with the assent of the executor. 1 Rop. Leg. 149; Lownd. Leg. 10, 11; 1 Atk. 415. A specific legacy has relation to the time of making the will; it is a bequest of some particular thing in the testator's possession at that time, if such a thing should be in the testator's possession at the time of his death. If it should not be in the testator's possession, the legatee has no claim. There are legacies of quantity in the nature of specific legacies, as of so much money with reference to a particular fund for their payment. Touchs. 433; Amb. 310; 4 Ves. 565; 3 Ves. & Bea. 5.
Legacy. () This kind of legacy is so far general, and differs so much in effect from a specific one, that if the funds be called in or fail, the legatees will not be deprived of their legacies, but be permitted to receive them out of the general assets; yet the legacies are go far specific, that they will not be liable to abate with general legacies upon a deficiency of assets. 2 Ves. jr. 640; 5 Ves. jr. 206; 1 Mer. R. 178.
Legacy. () A residuary legacy is a bequest of all the testator's personal estate, not otherwise effectually disposed of by his will. Lown. Leg, 10; Bac. Abr. Legacies, I.
Legacy. () As to the interest given, legacies may be considered, as absolute, for life, or in remainder. 1. A legacy is absolute, when it is given without condition, and is to vest immediately. See 2 Vern. 181; Ambl. 750; 19 Ves. 86; Lownd. 151; 2 Vern. 430; 1 Vern. 254; 5 Ves. 461; Com. Dig. Appendix, Chancery IX.
Legacy. () A legacy for life is sometimes given, with an executory limitation after the death of the tenant for life to another person; in this case, the tenant for life is entitled to the possession of the legacy, but when it is of specific article's, the first legatee must sign and deliver to the second, an inventory of the chattels expressing that they are in his custody for life only, and that afterwards they are to be delivered and remain to the use and benefit of the second legatee. 3 P. Wms. 336; 1 Atk. 471; 2 Atk. 82; 1 Bro. C. C. 279; 2 Vern. 249. See 1 Rop. Leg. 404, 5, 580. It seems that a bequest for life, if specific of things quo ipso usu consumuntur, is a gift of the property, and that there cannot be a limitation over, after a life interest in such articles. 3 Meriv. 194.
Legacy. () In personal property there cannot be a remainder in the strict sense of the word, and therefore every future bequest of personal property, whether it be preceded or not by any particular bequest, or limited on a certain or uncertain event, is an executory bequest, and falls under the rules by which that mode of limitation is regulated. Fearne, Cont. R. 401, n. An executory bequest cannot be prevented or destroyed by any alteration whatsoever, in the estate, out of which, or after, which it is limited. Id. 421; 8 Co. 96, a; 10 Co. 476. And this privilege of executory bequests, which exempts them from being barred or destroyed, is the foundation of an invariable rule, that the event on which an interest of this sort is permitted to take effect, is such as must happen within a life or lives in being, and twenty-one years, and the fraction of another year, allowing for the period of gestation afterwards. Fearne, Cont. R. 431.
Legacy. () As to the right acquired by the legatee, legacies may be considered as vested and contingent. 1. A vested legacy is one;, by which a certain interest, either present or future in possession, passes to the legatee. 2. A contingent legacy is one which is so given to a person, that it is uncertain whether any interest will ever vest in him.
Legacy. () A legacy may be lost by abatement, ademption, and lapse. I. Abatement, see Abatement of Legacies. 2. Ademption, see, Ademption. 3. When the legatee dies before the testator, or before the condition upon which the legacy is given be performed, or before the time at which it is directed to vest in interest have arrived, the legacy is lapsed or extinguished. See Bac. Abr. Legacies, E; Com. Dig. Chancery, 3 Y. 13; 1 P. Wms. 83; Lownd. Leg. ch. 12, p. 408 to 415; 1 Rop. Leg. ch. 8, p. 319 to 341.
Legacy. () In Pennsylvania, by legislative enactment, no legacy in favor of a child or other lineal descendant of any testator, shall be deemed or held to lapse or become void, by reason of the decease of such devisee or legatee, in the lifetime of the testator, if such devisee or legatee shall leave issue surviving the testator, but such devise or legacy shall be good and available, in favor of such surviving issue, with like effect, as if such devisee or legatee had survived the testator. The testator may however, intentionally exclude such surviving issue, or any of them. Act of March 19, 1810, 5 Smith's L. of Pa. 112.
Legacy. () As to the payment of legacies, it is proper to consider out of what fund they are to be paid; at what time; and to whom. 1. It is a general rule, that the personal estate is the primary fund for the payment of legacies. When the real estate is merely charged with those demands, the personal assets are to be applied in the first place towards their liquidation. 1 Serg. & Rawle, 453; 1 Rop. Leg. 463.
Legacy. () When legacies are given generally to persons under no disability to receive them, the payments ought to be made at the end of a year next after the testator's decease. 5 Binn. 475. The executor is not obliged to pay them sooner although the testator may have directed them to be discharged within six months after his death, because the law allows the executor one year from the demise of the testator, to ascertain and settle his testator's affairs; and it presumes that at the expiration of that period, and not before, all debts due by the estate have been satisfied, and the executor to be then able, properly to apply the residue among the legatees according to their several rights and interests.
Legacy. () When a legacy is given generally, and is subject to a limitation over upon a subsequent event, the divesting contingency will not prevent the legatee from receiving his legacy at the end of the year after the testator's death, and he is under no obligation to give security for repayment of the money, in case the event shall happen. The principle seems to be, that as the testator has entrusted him without requiring security, no person has authority to require it. 1 Ves. Jr. 97; 18 Ves. 131; Lownd. on Legacies, 403.
Legacy. () As to the persons to whom payment to be made, see, where the legacy is given to an infant 1 Rop. Leg. 589 ;1 P. Wms. 285; 1 Eq. Cas. Abr. 300; 3 Bro. C. C. 97, edit. by Belt; 2 Atk. 80; 2 Johns. C. R. 614; where the legacy is given to a married woman; 1 Rop. Leg. 595; Lownd. Leg 399; where the legacy is given to a lunatic, 1 Rop. Leg. 599; where it is given to a bankrupt; Id. 600; 2 Burr. 717.; where it is given to a person abroad, who has not been heard of for a long time. Id. 601 Finch, R. 419; 3 Bro. C. C. 510; 5 Ves. 458; Lownd. Leg. 398. See, generally, as to legacies; Roper on Legacies; Lowndes on Legacies; Bac. Abr. Legacy; Com. Dig. Administration, C 3, 5; Id. Chancery, 3 A; 3 G; 8 Y 1; Id. Prohibition, G 17; Vin. Abr. Devise; Id. Executor; Swinb. 17 to 44; 2 Salk. 414 to 416.
Legacy. () By the Civil Code of Louisiana, legacies are divided into universal legacies, legacies under an universal title, and particular legacies. 1. An universal legacy is a testamentary disposition, by which the testator gives to one or several persons the whole of the property which he leaves; at his decease. Civ. Code of Lo. art. 1599.
Legacy. () The legacy under an universal title, is that by which a testator bequeaths a certain proportion of the effects of which the law permits him to dispose, as a half, a third, or all his immovables, or all his movables, or a fixed proportion of all his immovables, or of all his movables. Id. 1604.
Legacy. () Every legacy not included in the definition given of universal legacies, and legacies under a universal title, is a legacy under a particular title. Id. 1618. Copied from Code Civ. art. 1003 and 1010. See Toullier, Droit Civil Francais, tome 5, p. 482, et seq.
Legacy, Additional. () An additional legacy is one which is given by a codicil, besides one before given by the will; or it is an increase by a codicil of a legacy before given by the will. An additional legacy is generally subject to the same qualities and conditions as the original legacy. 6. Mod. 31; 2 Ves. jr. 449; 3 Mer. 154; Ward on Leg. 142.
Legacy, Alternative. () One where the testator gives one of two things to the legatee without designating which of them; as, one of my two horses. Vide Election.
Legacy, Accumulative, () An accumulative legacy is a second bequest given by the same testator to the same legatee, whether it be of the same kind of thing, as money, or whether it be of different things, as, one hundred dollars, in one legacy, and a thousand dollars in another, or whether the sums are equal or whether the legacies are of a different nature. 2 Rop. Leg. 19.
Legacy, Conditional, () A bequest which is to take effect upon the happening or, not happening of a certain event. Lownd. Leg. 166; Rop. Leg. Index, tit. Condition.
Legacy, Residuary, () That which is of the remainder of an estate after the payment of all the debts and other legacies. Madd. Ch. P. 284.
Legacy, Demonstrative, () A demonstrative legacy is a bequest of a certain sum of money; intended for the legatee at all events, with a fund particularly referred to for its payment; so that if the estate be not the testator's property at his death, the legacy will not fail: but be payable out of general assets. 1 Rop. Leg. 153; Lownd. Leg 85; Swinb. 485; Ward on Leg. 370.
Legacy, Indefinite, () A bequest of things which are not enumerated or ascertained as to numbers or quantities; as, a bequest by a testator of all his goods, all his stocks in the funds. Lownd. on Leg. 84; Swinb. 485; Amb. 641; 1 P. Wms. 697.
Legacy, Lapsed, () A legacy is said to be lapsed or extinguished, when the legatee dies before the testator, or before the condition upon which the legacy is given has been performed, or before the time at which it is directed to vest in interest has arrived. Bac. Ab. Legacy, E; Com. Dig. Chancery, 3 Y 13; 1 P. Wms. 83. Lownd. Leg. 408 to 415; 1 Rop. Leg. 319 to 341. See, as to the law of Pennsylvania in favor of lineal descendants, 5 Smith's Laws of Pa. 112. Vide, generally, 8 Com. Dig. 502-3; 5 Toull. n. 671.
Legacy, Modal, () A modal legacy is a bequest accompanied with directions as to the mode in which it should be applied for the legatee's benefit; for example, a legacy to Titius to put him an apprentice. 2 Vern. 431; Lownd. Leg. 151.
Legacy, Pecuniary, () A pecuniary legacy is one of money; pecuniary legacies are most usually general legacies, but there may be a specific pecuniary legacy; for example, of the money in a certain bag. 1 Rop. Leg. 150, n.
Legacy (n.) A gift from one who is legging it out of this vale of tears.
Legal (a.) Created by, permitted by, in conformity with, or relating to, law; as, a legal obligation; a legal standard or test; a legal procedure; a legal claim; a legal trade; anything is legal which the laws do not forbid.
Legal (a.) (Theol.) According to the law of works, as distinguished from free grace; or resting on works for salvation.
Legal (a.) (Theol.) According to the old or Mosaic dispensation; in accordance with the law of Moses.
Legal (a.) (Law) Governed by the rules of law as distinguished from the rules of equity; as, legal estate; legal assets. -- Bouvier. -- Burrill.
Legal cap. See under Cap.
Legal tender. The act of tendering in the performance of a contract or satisfaction of a claim that which the law prescribes or permits, and at such time and place as the law prescribes or permits.
Legal tender. That currency, or money, which the law authorizes a debtor to tender and requires a creditor to receive.
It differs in different countries.
Syn: Lawful; constitutional; legitimate; licit; authorized. See Lawful.
Legal (a.) Established by or founded upon law or official or accepted rules [ant: illegal].
Legal (a.) Of or relating to jurisprudence; "legal loophole".
Legal (a.) Having legal efficacy or force; "a sound title to the property" [syn: legal, sound, effectual].
Legal (a.) Relating to or characteristic of the profession of law; "the legal profession".
Legal (a.) Allowed by official rules; "a legal pass receiver".
Legal (a.) Loosely used to mean ?in accordance with all the relevant rules?, esp. in connection with some set of constraints defined by software. ?The older =+ alternate for += is no longer legal syntax in ANSI C.? ?This parser processes each line of legal input the moment it sees the trailing linefeed.? Hackers often model their work as a sort of game played with the environment in which the objective is to maneuver through the thicket of ?natural laws? to achieve a desired objective. Their use of legal is flavored as much by this game-playing sense as by the more conventional one having to do with courts and lawyers. Compare language lawyer, legalese.
Legal (a.) Loosely used to mean "in accordance with all the relevant rules", especially in connection with some set of constraints defined by software. "The older =+ alternate for += is no longer legal syntax in ANSI C." "This parser processes each line of legal input the moment it sees the trailing linefeed."
Hackers often model their work as a sort of game played with the environment in which the objective is to maneuver through the thicket of "natural laws" to achieve a desired objective.
Their use of "legal" is flavoured as much by this game-playing sense as by the more conventional one having to do with courts and lawyers. Compare language lawyer, legalese. [{Jargon File]
Legal. () That which is according to law. It is used in opposition to equitable, as the legal estate is, in the trustee, the equitable estate in the cestui que trust. Vide Powell on Mortg. Index, h.t.
Legal. () The party who has the legal title, has alone the right to seek a remedy for a wrong to his estate, in a court of law, though he may have no beneficial interest in it. The equitable owner, is he who has not the legal estate, but is entitled to the beneficial interest.
Legal. () The person who holds the legal estate for the benefit of another, is called a trustee; he who has the beneficiary interest and does not hold the legal title, is called the beneficiary, or more technically, the cestui que trust.
Legal. () When the trustee has a claim, he must enforce his right in a court of equity, for he cannot sue any one at law, in his own name; 1 East, 497; 8 T. R. 332; 1 Saund. 158, n. 1; 2 Bing. 20; still less can he in such court sue his own trustee. 1 East, 497.
Legalism (n.) Strictness, or the doctrine of strictness, in conforming to law.
Legalism (n.) Strict conformity to the letter of the law rather than its spirit.
Legalist (n.) One who practices or advocates strict conformity to law; in theology, one who holds to the law of works. See Legal, 2 (a).
Legality (n.) The state or quality of being legal; conformity to law.
Legality (n.) (Theol.) A conformity to, and resting upon, the letter of the law.
Legality (n.) Lawfulness by virtue of conformity to a legal statute [ant: illegality].
Legalization (n.) The act of making legal.
Legalization (n.) The act of making lawful [syn: legalization, legalisation, legitimation].
Legalized (imp. & p. p.) of Legalize
Legalizing (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Legalize
Legalize (v. t.) To make legal.
Legalize (v. t.) (Theol.) To interpret or apply in a legal spirit.
Legalize (v.) Make legal; "Marijuana should be legalized" [syn: legalize, legalise, decriminalize, decriminalise, legitimize, legitimise, legitimate, legitimatize, legitimatise] [ant: criminalise, criminalize, illegalise, illegalize, outlaw].
Legally (adv.) In a legal manner.
Legally (adv.) By law; conforming to the law; "we are lawfully wedded now" [syn: legally, lawfully, de jure] [ant: unlawfully].
Legally (adv.) In a legal manner; "he acted legally".
Legantine (a.) [Obs.] See Legatine.
Legatary (n.) A legatee. [R.] -- Ayliffe.
Legatary. () One to whom anything is bequeathed; a legatee. This word is sometimes though seldom used to designate a legate or nuncio.
Legate (n.) An ambassador or envoy.
Legate (n.) An ecclesiastic representing the pope and invested with the authority of the Holy See.
Note: Legates are of three kinds: ({a) Legates a latere, now always cardinals. They are called ordinary or extraordinary legates, the former governing provinces, and the latter class being sent to foreign countries on extraordinary occasions. ({b) Legati missi, who correspond to the ambassadors of temporal governments.
({c) Legati nati, or legates by virtue of their office, as the archbishops of Salzburg and Prague.
Legate (n.) (Rom. Hist.) An official assistant given to a general or to the governor of a province.
Legate (n.) (Rom. Hist.) Under the emperors, a governor sent to a province.
Legate (n.) A member of a legation [syn: legate, official emissary].
Legates. () 1. Legates are extraordinary ambassadors sent by the pope to catholic countries to represent him, and to exercise his jurisdiction. They are distinguished from the ambassadors of the pope who are sent to other powers.
Legates. () 2. The canonists divide them into three kinds, namely: 1. Legates A latere. 2. Legati missi. 3. Legati nati.
Legates. () 3.-1. Legates latere hold the first rank among those who are honored by a legation; they are always chosen from the college of cardinals, and are called a latere, in imitation of the magistrates of ancient Rome, who were taken from the court, or side of the emperor.
Legates. () 4.-2. The legati missi are simple envoys.
Legates. () 5.-3. The legati nati, are those who are entitled to be legates by birth.
Legatee. () 1. A legatee is a person to whom a legacy is given by a last will and testament.
Legatee. () 2. It is proposed to consider, 1. Who may be a legatee. 2. Under what description legatees may take.
Legatee. () 3.-1. Who may be a legatee. In general, every person may be a legatee. 2 Bl. Com. 512. But a person civilly dead cannot take a legacy. II. Under what description legatees may take.
Legatee. () 4.-1. Of legacies to legitimate children. 1. When it appears from express declaration, or a clear inference arising upon the face of the will, that a testator in giving a legacy to a class of individuals generally, intended to apply the terms used by him to such persons only as answered the description at the date of the instrument, those individuals alone will be entitled, although if no such intention had been expressed, or appeared in the will, every person failing within that class at the testator's death, would have been included in the terms of the bequest. 1 Meriv. 320; and see 3 Ves. 611; Id. 609; 15 Ves. 363; Ambl. 397; 2 Cox, 291; 4 Bro. C. C. 55; 3 Bro. C. C. 148; 2 Cox, 384.
Legatee. () 5.-2. Where a legacy is given to a class of individuals, as to children, in general terms, and no period is appointed for the distribution of it, the legacy is due at the death of the testator; the payment of it being merely postponed to the end of a year after that event, for the convenience of the executor or administrator in administering the assets.
The rights of the legatees are finally settled, and determined at the testator's decease. 1 Ball & B. 459; 2 Murph. 178. Upon this principal, is founded the well established rule that children in existence at that period, or legally considered so to be, are alone entitled to participate in the bequest. 1 Bro. C. C. 532, n.; 2 Bro. C. C. 658; 2 Cox, 190.; 1 Dick. 344; 14 Ves. 576; 1 Ves. jr. 405; 1 Cox, 68; 3 Bro. C. C. 391; Amb. 448; 1 Ves. sen. 485; 5 Binn. 607.
Legatee. () 6.-3. A child in ventre sa mere takes a share in a fund bequeathed to children, under the general description of "children," or of "children living at the testator's death." 1 Ves. sen. 85; and see 1 P. Wms. 244, 341; 2 Bro. C. C. 63; 1 Salk. 229; 2 Cox, 425; 5 Serg. & Rawle, 38. See tit. In ventre sa mere.
Legatee. () 7.-4. When legacies are given to a class of individuals, generally, payable at a future period, as to the children of B, when the youngest shall attain the age of twenty-one, or to be divided among them upon the death of C; any child who can entitle itself under the description, at the time when the fund is to be divided, may claim a share, viz: as well children living at the period of distribution, although not born till after the testator's death, as those born before, and living at the happening of that event. 1 Supp. to Ves. jr. 115, note 3, to Hill v. Chapman; 2 Supp. to Ves. jr. 157, note 1, to Lincoln v. Pelham. This general rule may be divided into two branches. First, when the division of the fund is postponed until a child or children attain a particular age; as, when a legacy is given to the children of A, at the age of twenty-one; in that case, so soon as the eldest arrives at that period, the fund is distributable among so many as are in existence at that time; and no child born afterwards can be admitted to a share, because the period of division fixes the number of legatees. Distribution is then made, and nothing remains for future partition. 1 Ball & Beat. 459; 3 Bro. C. C. 402; 5 Binn. 607; 2 Ves. jr. 690; 3 Ves. 730; 3 Bro. C. C. 352, ed. by Belt; 14 Ves. 256; 6 Ves. 345; 10 Ves. 152; 11 Ves. 238. Second, when the distribution of the fund is deferred during the life of a person in esse. In these cases, when the enjoyment of the thing given, is by the testator's express declaration not to be immediate by those, among whom it is to be finally divided, but is postponed to a particular period, as the death of A, then the children or individuals who answer the general description at that time, when distribution is to be made, are entitled to take, in exclusion of those afterwards coming in esse. 1 Ves. sen. 111; 1 Bro. C. C. 386; Id. 530; Id. 582; Id. 537; 1 Atk. 509; 2 Atk. 329; 5 Ves. 136; 3 Bro. C. C. 417; 1 Cox, 327; 8 Ves. 375; 15 Ves. 122; 1 Madd. R. 290; 1 Ball & Beat. 449.
Legatee. () 8.-5. The word "children" does not, ordinarily and properly speaking, comprehend grandchildren or issue generally; these are included in that term only in two cases, namely, 1. From necessity, which occurs where the will would remain inoperative unless the sense of the word "children" were extended beyond its natural import; and, 2. Where the testator has shown by other words, that he did not intend to use the term children in its proper and actual meaning, but in a more extended sense. 1 Supp. to Ves. jr. 202, note 2, to Bristow v. Ward. In the following cases, the word children was extended beyond its natural import from necessity. 6 Rep. 16; 10 Ves. 201; 2 Desaus. R. 123, in note. The following are instances where by using the words children and issue, indiscriminately, the testator showed his intention to use the former term in the sense of issue so as to entitle grandchildren, &c. to take. 1 Ves. sen. 196; S. C. Ambl. 555; 3 Ves. 258; 3 Ves. & Bea. 68; 4 Ves. 437; 2 Supp. to Ves. jr. 158. There is another class of cases wherein it was determined that grandchildren, &c. were not included in the word children. 2 Vern. 107; 4 Ves. 692; 10 Ves. 195; 3 Ves. & Bea. 59; see 2 Desauss. 308.
Legatee. () 9.-2. Of legacies to natural children. 1. Natural children unborn at the date of the will, cannot take under a bequest to the children generally, or to the illegitimate children of A B by Mary C; because a natural child cannot take as the issue of a particular person, until it has acquired the reputation of being the child of that person, which cannot be before its birth. Co, Litt. 3, b.
Legatee. () 10.-2. Natural children, unborn at the date of the will and described as children of the testator or another man, to be born of a particular woman, cannot take under such a description. 1 Peere, Wms. 529; 18 Ves. 288.
Legatee. () 11.-3. A legacy to an illegitimate child in ventre sa mere, described as the child of the testator or of another man, will fail, since whether the testator or such person were or were not in truth the father, is a fact which can only be ascertained by evidence that public policy forbids to be admitted. 1 Meriv. 141 to 152.
Legatee. () 12.-4. A child in ventre sa mere described merely as a child with which the mother is enceinte, without mentioning its putative father; or if the testator express a belief that the child is his own, and provide for it under that impression, regardless of the chance of being mistaken; then the child will in the first place be capable of taking and in the second, as presumed, be also, entitled in consequence of the testator's intent to provide for it, whether he be the father or not. 1 Meriv. 148, 152.
Legatee. () 13.-5. Natural children in existence, having acquired by reputation the name and character of children of a particular person, prior to the date of the will, are capable of taking under the name of children. 1 P. Wms. 529; 1 Ves. & Bea. 467. But the term child, son, issue, and every other word of that species, is to be considered as prima facie to mean legitimate child, son, or issue. Id.
Legatee. () 14.-6. Whether such children take or not depends upon the evidence of the testator's intention, manifested by the will, to include them in the term children; these cases are instances where the evidence of such intention was deemed insufficient. 5 Ves. 530; 1 Ves. & Bea. 454; 6 Ves. 43, 48; 1 Ves. & Bea. 4619; and see 1 Ves. & Bea. 456; 2 East, 530, 542. In the following, the evidence of intention was held to be sufficient. 1 Ves. & Bea. 469; Blundell v. Dunn, cited in 1 Madd. 433; Beachcroft v. Beachcroft, cited in 1 Madd. 430; 2 Meriv. 419.
Legatee. () 15.-3. Of legacies of personal estate to a man and his heirs. 1. A legacy to A and his heirs, is an absolute legacy to A, and the whole interest of the money vests in him for his use. 4 Mad. 361. But when no property in the bequest is given to A, and the money is bequeathed to his heirs, or to him with a limitation to his heirs, if he die before the testator, and the contingency happens, then if there be nothing in the will showing the sense in which the testator made use of the word heirs, the next of kin of A, are entitled to claim under the description, as the only persons appointed by law to succeed to personal estate. 5 Ves. 403; 4 Ves. 649; 1 Jac. & Walk. 388.
Legatee. () 16.-2. A bequest to the heirs of an individual, without addition or explanation, will belong to the next of kin; the rule, however, is subject to, alteration by the intention of the testator. If then the contents of the will show, that by the word heirs the testator meant other persons than the next of kin, those persons will be entitled. Ambl. 273; 1 P. Wms. 432; Forrest, 56; 2 Atk. 89; See, also, 1 Ves. jr. 145; 4 Madd. 361; 14 Ves. 488; 1 Car. Law R. 484.
Legatee. () 17.-4. Legacies to issue. 1. The term issue, is of very extensive import, and when used as a word of purchase, and unconfined by any indication of intention, will comprise all persons who can claim as descendants from or through the person to whose issue the bequest is made; and in order to restrain the legal sense of the term, a clear intention must appear upon the will. 3 Ves. 257; Id. 421; 1 Meriv. 434; 13 Ves. 344.
Legatee. () 18.-2. Where it appears clearly to be a testator's meaning to provide for a class of individuals living at the date of his will, and he provides against a lapse by the death of any of them in his lifetime, by the substitution of their issue; in such case, although the word will include all the descendants of the designated legatees, yet if any person who would have answered the description of an original legatee when the will was made, be then dead, leaving issue, that issue will be excluded, because the issue of those individuals only who were capable of taking original shares, at the date of the will, were intended to take by substitution; so that as the person who was dead when the will was made, could never have taken an original share, there is nothing for his issue to take in his place. 1 Meriv. 320.
Legatee. () 19.-3. When it can be collected from the will that a testator in using the word issue, did not intend it should be understood in its common acceptation, the import of it will be confined to the persons whom it was intended to comprehend. 7 Ires. 531; 3 Ves. 383; 7 Ves. 522; 1 Ves. jr. 143.
Legatee. () 20.-5. Of legacies to relations. 1. Under a bequest to relations, none are entitled but those, who in the case of intestacy, could have claimed under the statute of distribution. Forrest. 251; 4 Bro. C. C. 207; 1 Bro. C. C. 31; 3 Bro. C. C. 234; 5 Ves. 529; Ambl. 507; Dick. 380; 1 P. Wms. 327; 2 Ves. sen. 527; 19 Ves. 403; 1 Taunt. 263; 1 T. R. 435; n. See the following cases where the bequests were to "poor relations;" 1 P. Wms. 327; 8 Serg. & Rawle, 45; 1 Sch. & Lef. 111; "most necessitous relations;" Ambl. 636.
Legatee. () 21.-2. To this general rule there are several exceptions, namely, first, when the testator has delegated a power to an individual to distribute the fund among the testator's relations according to his discretion; in such an instance whether the bequest be made to "relations" generally, or to "poor," or "poorest," or "most necessitous" relations, the person may exercise his discretion in distributing the property among the testator's kindred although they be not within the statute of distributions. 1 Scho. & Lef. 111, and 16 Ves. 43; 1 T. R. 485, n.; Ambl. 708; 16 Ves. 27, 43. Secondly. Another exception occurs where a testator has fixed ascertain test, by which the number of relatives intended by him to participate in his property, can be ascertained; as if a legacy be given to such of the testator's relations as should not be worth a certain sum, in such case, it seems, all the testator's relatives answering the description would take, although not within the degrees of the statute of distributions. Ambl. 798. Thirdly. Another exception to the general rule is, where a testator has shown an intention in his will, to comprehend relations more remote than those entitled nuder the statute; in that case his intention will prevail. 1 Bro. C. C. 32, n., and see 1 Cox, 235.
Legatee. () 22.-3. The word "relation" or "relations," may be so qualified as to exclude some of the next of kin from participating in the bequest; and this will also happen when the terms of the bequest are to my "nearest relations;" 19 Ves. 400; Coop. 275; 1 Bro. C. C. 293; and see 1 Ves. sen. 337; Ambl. 70; to testator's relations of his name 1 Ves. sen. 336; or stock, or blood; 15 Ves. 107.
Legatee. () 23.-4. The word relations being governed by the statute of distributions, no person can regularly answer the description but those who are of kin to the testator by blood, consequently relatives by marriage are not included in a bequest to relations generally. 1 Ves. sen. 84; 3 Atk. 761; 1 Bro. C. C. 71, 294.
Legatee. () 24.-6. Legacies to next of kin. 1. When a bequest is made to testator's next of kin, it is understood the testator means such as are related to him by blood. But it is not necessary that the next of kin should be of the whole blood, the half blood answering the description of next of kin, are equally entitled with the whole, and if nearer in degree, will exclude the whole blood. 1 Ventr. 425; Alley. L. D. of Mar. 36; Sty. 74.
Legatee. () 25-2. Relations by marriage are in general excluded from participating in a legacy given to the next of kin. 18 Ves. 53; 14 Ves. 376, 381, 386; and, see 3 Ves. 244; 18 Ves. 49. But this is only a prima facie construction, which may be repelled by the contrary intention of a testator. 14 Ves. 382.
Legatee. () 26.-3. A testator is to be understood to mean by the expression "next of kin," when he does not refer to the statute, or to a distribution of the property as if he had died intestate, those persons only who should be nearest of kin to him, to the exclusion of others who might happen to be within the degree limited by the statute. 3 Bro. C. C. 69; 19 Ves. 404; 14 Ves. 385. See 3 Bro. C. C. 64.
Legatee. () 27.-4. Nearest of kin will alone be entitled under a bequest to the next of kin in equal degree. 12 Ves. 433; 1 Madd. 36.
Legatee. () 28.-7. Legacies to legal personal representatives or to personal representatives. 1. Where there is nothing on the face of the will to manifest a different intention, the legal construction of the words "personal representatives," or "legal personal representatives," is executors or administrators of the person described. 6 Ves. 402; 6 Mead. 159. A legacy limited to the personal or legal personal representatives of A, unexplained by anything in the will, will entitle A's executors or administrators to it, not as representing A, or as part of his estate, or liable to his debts, but in their own right as personae designated by the law. 2 Mad. 155.
Legatee. () 29.-2. In the following cases the executors or administrators were held to be entitled under the designation of personal, or legal personal representatives. 3 Ves. 486; Anstr. 128.
Legatee. () 30.-3. The next of kin and not the executors or administrators, were, in the following cases, held to be entitled under the same designation. 3 Bro. C. C. 224, approved by Lord Rosslyn in 3 Ves. 486; 3 Ves. 146; 19 Ves. 404.
Legatee. () 31.-4. The same words were held to mean children, grandchildren, &c. to the exclusion of those persons who technically answer the description of "personal representatives." 3 Ves. 383.
Legatee. () 32.-5. A husband or wife may take as such, if there is a manifest intention in the will that they should and if either be clothed with the character of executor or administrator of the other, the prima facie legal title attaches to the office, which will prevail, unless an intention to the contrary be expressed or clearly apparent in the instrument. See 14 Ves. 382; 18 Ves. 49; 3 Ves. 231; 2 Ves. sen. 84; 3 Atk. 758; 1 Rop. on H.& W., 326; 2 Rop. on H.& W., 64.
Legatee. () 33.-8. The construction of bequests when limited to executors and administrators. 1. Where personal estate is given to B, his executors and administrators, the law transfers to B the absolute interest in the legacy. 15 Ves. 537; 2 Mad. 155.
Legatee. () 34.-2. If no interest were given to B, and the bequest were to his executors and administrators, it should seem that the individual answering the description would be beneficially entitled as personal designatee, in analogy to the devise of real estate to the heir of B, without a previous limitation to B, whose heir would take by purchase in his own right, and not by force of the word "heir" considered as a term of limitation. 2 Mad. 155. See 8 Com. Dig. Devise of Personal Property, xxxvi.
Legatee. () 35:-9. Legacies to descendants. 1. A legacy to the descendants of A, will comprehend all his children, grandchildren, &c.; and if the will direct the bequest to be divided equally among them, they are entitled to the fund per capita. Ambl. 97; 3 Bro. C. C. 369.
Legatee. () 36.-10. Legacies to a family. 1. The word family, when applied to personal property, is synonymous with "kindred," or "relations;" see 9 Ves. 323. This being the ordinary acceptation of the word family, it may nevertheless be confined to particular relations by the context of the will; or the term may be enlarged by it, so that the expression may, in some cases, mean children, or next of kin, and in others may even include relations by marriage. See 8 Ves. 604; Dy. 333; 5 Ves. 166; Hob. 33; Coop. 122; 5 M. & S. 126; 17 Ves. 263; 1 Taunt. 266; 14 Ves. 488; 9 Ves. 319; 3 Meriv. 689.
Legatee. () 37.-11. Legacies to servants. 1. To entitle himself to a bequest "to servants," the relation of master and servant must have arisen out of a contract by which the claimant must have formed an engagement which entitled the master to the service of the individual during the whole period, or each and every part of the time for which he contracted to, serve. 12 Ves. 114; 2 Vern. 546.
Legatee. () 38.-2. To claim as a servant, the legatee must in general be in the actual service of the testator at the time of his death. Still a servant may be considered by a testator as continuing in his employment, and be intended to take under the bequest, although he quitted the testator's house previous to his death, so as to answer the description in the instrument; and to establish which fact declarations of the testator upon the subject cannot be rejected; but testimony that the testator meant a servant notwithstanding
his having left the testator's service, to take a legacy bequeathed only to servants in his employment at his death, cannot be received as in direct opposition to the will. 16 Ves. 486, 489.
Legatee. () 39.-12. The different periods of time at which persons answering the descriptions of next of kin, family relations, issue, heirs, descendants and personal representatives, (to whom legacies are given by those terms generally, and without discrimination,) were required to be in esse, for the purpose of participating in the legatory fund. 1. When the will expresses or clearly shows that a testator in bequeathing to the relations, &c. of a deceased individual, referred to such of them as were in existence
when the will was made, they only will be entitled; as if the bequest was, "I give 1000 to the descendants of the late A B, now living," those descendants only in esse at the date of the will can claim the legacy. Ambl. 397.
Legatee. () 40.-2. But, in general, a will begins to speak at the death of the testator, and consequently in ordinary cases, relations, next of kin, issue, descendants, &c., living at that period will alone divide the property bequeathed to them by those words. See 1 Ball &. Beat. 459; 1 Bro. C. C. 532; 3 Bro. C. C. 224; 5 Ves. 399; 1 Jac. & Walk, 388, n.; 3 Meriv. 689; 5 Binn. 607; 2 Murph. 178.
Legatee. () 41.-3. If a testator express, or his intention otherwise appear from his will, that a bequest to his relations, &c., living at the death of a person, or upon the happening of any other event, should take the fund, his next of kin only in existence at the period described, will be entitled, in exclusion of the representatives of such of them as happened to be then dead. 3 Ves. 486; 9 Ves. 325; 1 Atk. 469; 15 Ves. 27; 4 Vin. Abr. 485, pl. 16; 8 Ves. 38; 5 Binn. 606; see 6 Munf. 47.
Legatee. () 42.-13. When the fund given to legatees, by the description of "family," "relations" "next in kin," &c., is to be divided among them either per capita, or per stirpes, or both per stirpes et capita. 1. Where the testator gives a legacy to his relations generally, if his next of kin be related to him in equal degree, as brothers, there being no children of a deceased brother, the brothers will divide the fund among them in equal shares, or per capita; each being entitled in his own right to an equal share. So it would be if all the brothers had died before the testator, one leaving two children, another three, &c., all the nephews and nieces would take in equal shares, per capita, in their own rights, and not as representing their parents; because they are sole next of kin, and related to the testator in equal degree. Pre. Ch. 54; and see 1 P. Wms. 595; 1 Atk. 454; 3 P. Wms. 50. But if the testator's next of kin happen not to be related to him in equal degrees, as a brother, and the children of a deceased brother, so as that under the statute the children would take per stirpes as representing their parent, namely, the share he would have taken had he been living; yet if the testator has shown au intention that his next of kin shall be entitled to his property in equal shares, i. e. per capita, the distribution by the statute will be superseded. This may happen where the bequest is to relations, next of kin, &c., to be equally divided among them; or by expressions of like import. Forrest. 251; and see 1 Bro. C. C. 33; 8 Serg. & Rawle, 43; 11 Serg. & Rawle 103; 1 Murph. 383.
Legatee. () 43.-2. Where a bequest is to relations, &c., those persons only who are next of kin are entitled, and the statute of distributions is adopted, not only to ascertain the persons who take, but also the proportions and manner in which the property is to be divided; the will being silent upon the subject, if the next of kin of the person described be not related to him in equal degree, those most remote can only claim per stirpes, or in right of those who would have been entitled under the statute if they had been living. Hence it appears that taking per stirpes, always supposes an inequality in relationship. For example, where a testator bequeaths a legacy to his "relations," or "next of kin," and leaves at his death two children, and three grandchildren, the children of a deceased child; the grandchildren would take their parents' share, that is, one-third per stirpes under the statute, as representing their deceased parent. 1 Cox, 235.
Legatee. () 44.-3. Where a testator bequeaths personal estate to several persons as tenants in common, with a declaration that upon all or any of their deaths before a particular time, their respective shares shall be equally divided among the issue or descendants of each of them, and they die before the arrival of the period, some leaving children, others grandchildren, and great grandchildren, and other grandchildren and more remote descendants in such case the issue of each deceased person will take their parents share per stirpes; and such issue, whether children only, or children and grandchildren, &c., will divide each parent's share among them equally per capita. 1 Ves. sen. 196.
Legatee. () 45.-14. The effect of a mistake in the names of legatees. 1. Where the name has been mistaken in a will or deed, it will be corrected from the instrument, if the intention appear in the description of the legatee or donee, or in other parts of the will or deed. For example, if a testator give a bequest to Thomas second son of his brother John, when in fact John had no son named Thomas, and his second son was called William; it was held William was entitled. 19 Ves. 381; Coop. 229; and see Ambl. 175; Co. Litt. 3, a; Finch's R. 403; 3 Leon, 18. When a bequest is made to a class of individuals, nominatim, and the name or christian name of one of them is omitted, and the name or christian name of another is repeated; if the context of the will show that the repetition of the name was error, and the name of the person omitted was intended to have been inserted, the mistake will be corrected. As where a testator gave his residuary estate to his six grandchildren, by their christian names. The name of Ann, one of them, was
repeated, and the name of Elizabeth, another of them, was omitted. The context of the will clearly showed the mistake which had occurred, and Elizabeth was admitted to an equal share in the bequest. 1 Bro. C. C. 30; see 2 Cox, 186. And is to cases where parol evidence will be received to prove the mistakes in the names or additions of legatees, and to ascertain the proper person, see 3 B. & A. 632 to 642; 6 T. R. 676; 2 P. Wms. 137; 1 Atk. 410: 1 P. Wms. 421; 5 Rep. 68, b; 6 Ves. 42; 7 East, 302; Ambl. 75.
Legatee. () 46.-15. The effect of mistakes in the descriptions of legatees, and the admission of parol evidence in those cases. 1. Where the description of the legatee is erroneous, the error not having been occasioned by any fraud practiced upon the testator, and there is no doubt as to the person who was intended to be described, the mistake will not disappoint the bequest. Hence if a legacy be given to a person by a correct name, but a wrong description or addition, the mistaken description will not vitiate the bequest, but be rejected; for it is a maxim that veritas nominis tollit errorem demonstrationis. Ld. Bac. Max. reg. 25; and see 2 Ves. jr. 589; Ambl. 75; 4 Ves. 808; Plowd. 344; 19 Ves. 400.
Legatee. () 47.-2. Wherever a legacy is given to a person under a particular description and character which he himself has falsely assumed; or, where a testator, induced by the false representations of third persons to regard the legatee in a relationship which claims his bounty, bequeaths him a legacy according with such supposed relationship, and no motive for such bounty can be supposed, the law will not, in either case, permit the legatee to avail himself of the description, and therefore he cannot demand his legacy. See 4 Ves. 802; 4 Bro. C. C. 20.
Legatee. () 48.-3. The same principle which has established the admissibility of parol evidence to correct errors in naming legatees, authorizes its allowance to rectify mistakes in the description of them. Ambl. 374; 1 Ves. jr. 266; 1 Meriv. 184.
Legatee. () 49.-4. If neither the will nor extrinsic evidence is sufficient to dispel the ambiguity arising from the attempt to apply the description of the legatee to the person intended by the testator, the legacy must fail from the uncertainty of its object. 7 Ves. 508; 6 T. R. 671.
Legatee. () 50.-16. The consequences of imperfect descriptions of, or reference to legatees, appearing upon the face of wills, and when parol evidence is admissible. These cases occur, 1. When a blank is left for the Christian name of the legatee. 2. When the whole name is omitted. 3. When the testator has merely written the initials of the name; and, 4. When legatees have been once accurately described, but in a subsequent reference to one of them, to take an additional bounty, the person intended is doubtful, from ambiguity in the terms.
Legatee. () 51.-1. When a blank is left for the Christian name of the legatee, evidence is admissible to supply the omission. 4 Ves. 680.
Legatee. () 52.-2. When the omission consists of the entire name of the legatee, parol evidence cannot be admitted to supply the blank. 2 Ch. Ca. 51.; 2 Atk. 239; 3 Bro. C.C. 311.
Legatee. () 53.-3. When a legatee is described by the initials of his name only, parol evidence may be given to prove his identity. 3 Ves. 148. When a patent ambiguity arises from an imperfect reference to one of two legatees correctly described in a prior part of the will, parol evidence is admitted to show which of them was intended, so that the additional legacy intended for the one will depend upon the removal of the obscurity by a sound interpretation of the whole will. 3 Atk. 257 and see 2 Ves. 217; 2 Eden, 107. See further, upon this subject, Lownd on Leg. ch. 4; 1 Roper on Leg. ch. 2; Com. Dig. Chancery, 3 Y; Bac. Abr. h.. t. Vin. Abr. h.t.; Nels. Abr. h.t.; Whart. Dig. Wills, G. P.; Hamm. Dig. 756; Grimk. on Ex. ch. 5; Toll. on Executors, ch. 4.
Legatee (n.) (Law) One to whom a legacy is bequeathed.
Legatee (n.) Someone to whom a legacy is bequeathed.
Legateship (n.) The office of a legate.
Legateship (n.) The post or office of legate [syn: legation, legateship].
Legatine (a.) Of or pertaining to a legate; as, legatine power. -- Holinshed.
Legatine (a.) Made by, proceeding from, or under the sanction of, a legate; as, a legatine constitution. -- Ayliffe.
Legation (n.) The sending forth or commissioning one person to act for another. "The Divine legation of Moses." -- Bp. Warburton.
Legation (n.) A legate, or envoy, and the persons associated with him in his mission; an embassy; or, in stricter usage, a diplomatic minister and his suite; a deputation.
Legation (n.) The place of business or official residence of a diplomatic minister at a foreign court or seat of government.
Legation (n.) A district under the jurisdiction of a legate.
Legation (n.) The post or office of legate [syn: legation, legateship].
Legation (n.) A permanent diplomatic mission headed by a minister [syn: legation, foreign mission].
Legato (a.) (Mus.) Connected; tied; -- a term used when successive tones are to be produced in a closely connected, smoothly gliding manner.
It is often indicated by a tie, thus ?, ?, or ?, ?, written over or under the notes to be so performed; -- opposed to staccato.
Legato (adv.) Connecting the notes; in music; "play this legato, please" [ant: staccato].
Legato (a.) (Music) Without breaks between notes; smooth and connected; "a legato passage" [syn: legato, smooth] [ant: disconnected, staccato].
Legator (n.) (Law) A testator; one who bequeaths a legacy. -- Dryden.
Legatura (n.) (Mus.) A tie or brace; a syncopation.
Legature (n.) Legateship. [Obs.]
Lege (v. t.) To allege; to assert. [Obs.] -- Bp. Fisher.
Compare: Ledgment
Ledgment (n.) (Arch.) A string-course or horizontal suit of moldings, such as the base moldings of a building. -- Oxf. Gloss.
Ledgment (n.) The development of the surface of a body on a plane, so that the dimensions of the different sides may be easily ascertained. -- Gwilt. [Written also ledgement, legement, and ligement.]
Legement (n.) See Ledgment.
Legend (n.) That which is appointed to be read; especially, a chronicle or register of the lives of saints, formerly read at matins, and in the refectories of religious houses.
Legend (n.) A story respecting saints; especially, one of a marvelous nature. -- Addison.
Legend (n.) Any wonderful story coming down from the past, but not verifiable by historical record; a myth; a fable.
And in this legend all that glorious deed Read, whilst you arm you. -- Fairfax.
Legend (n.) An inscription, motto, or title, esp. one surrounding the field in a medal or coin, or placed upon an heraldic shield or beneath an engraving or illustration.
Golden legend. See under Golden.
Legend (v. t.) To tell or narrate, as a legend. -- Bp. Hall.
Legend (n.) A story about mythical or supernatural beings or events [syn: legend, fable].
Legend (n.) Brief description accompanying an illustration [syn: caption, legend].
Legendary (a.) Of or pertaining to a legend or to legends; consisting of legends; like a legend; fabulous. "Legendary writers." -- Bp. Lloyd.
Legendary stories of nurses and old women. -- Bourne.
Legendary (n.) A book of legends; a tale or narrative.
Read the Countess of Pembroke's "Arcadia," a gallant
legendary full of pleasurable accidents. -- James I.
Legendary (n.) One who relates legends. -- Bp. Lavington.
Legendary (a.) So celebrated as to having taken on the nature of a legend; "the legendary exploits of the arctic trailblazers".
Legendary (a.) Celebrated in fable or legend; "the fabled Paul Bunyan and his blue ox"; "legendary exploits of Jesse James" [syn: fabled, legendary].
Compare: Ledger
Ledger (n.) A book in which a summary of accounts is laid up or preserved; the final book of record in business transactions, in which all debits and credits from the journal, etc., are placed under appropriate heads. [Written also leger.]
Ledger (n.) (Arch.) A large flat stone, esp. one laid over a tomb. -- Oxf. Gloss.
Ledger (n.) (Arch.) A horizontal piece of timber secured to the uprights and supporting floor timbers, a staircase, scaffolding, or the like. It differs from an intertie in being intended to carry weight. [Written also ligger.]
Ledger bait, Fishing bait attached to a floating line fastened to the bank of a stream, pond, etc. -- Walton. -- J. H. Walsh.
Ledger blade, A stationary shearing blade in a machine for shearing the nap of cloth.
Ledger line. See Leger line, under 3d Leger, a.
Ledger wall (Mining), The wall under a vein; the foot wall. -- Raymond.
Leger (n.) 大橫杆 Anything that lies in a place; that which, or one who, remains in a place. [Obs.]
Leger (n.) A minister or ambassador resident at a court or seat of government. [Written also lieger, leiger.] [Obs.]
Sir Edward Carne, the queen's leger at Rome. -- Fuller.
Leger (n.) A ledger.
Leger (a.) Lying or remaining in a place; hence, resident; as, leger ambassador.
Leger (a.) Light; slender; slim; trivial. [Obs. except in special phrases.] -- Bacon.
Leger line (Mus.), A line added above or below the staff to extend its compass; -- called also added line.
Leger (n.) A record in which commercial accounts are recorded; "they got a subpoena to examine our books" [syn: ledger, leger, account book, book of account, book].
Leger (n.) French painter who was an early cubist (1881-1955) [syn: Leger, Fernand Leger].
Legerdemain (n.) Sleight of hand; a trick of sleight of hand; hence, any artful deception or trick.
He of legierdemayne the mysteries did know. -- Spenser.
The tricks and legerdemain by which men impose upon their own souls. -- South.
Legerdemain (n.) An illusory feat; considered magical by naive observers [syn: magic trick, conjuring trick, trick, magic, legerdemain, conjuration, thaumaturgy, illusion, deception].
Legerdemainist (n.) One who practices sleight of hand; a prestidigitator.
Legerity (n.) 敏捷 Lightness; nimbleness. [Archaic] -- Shak.
Legerity (n.) The gracefulness of a person or animal that is quick and nimble [syn: agility, legerity, lightness, lightsomeness, nimbleness].
Legerity (n.) Lightness in movement or action; nimbleness, agility; (later also) flexibility of mind; mental agility.
Legerity (n.) Generally. Lack of weight or weightiness; lightness of touch or feeling.
Legge
(v. t.)
To lay. [Obs.]
Legge (v. t.) To lighten; to allay. [Obs.] -- Rom. of R.
Legged
(a.)
Having (such or so many) legs; -- used in composition; as, a long-legged man; a
two-legged animal. Leggiadro
Legged (a.) Having legs of a specified kind or number;
"four-legged animals"; "a peg-legged man" [ant:
legless].
Leggiadro (a. & adv.) Alt. of Leggiero
Leggiero (a. & adv.) Light or graceful; in a light, delicate, and brisk style. Legging
Legging (n.) Alt. of Leggin
Leggin (n.) A cover for the leg, like a long gaiter.
Legging () a. & vb. n., from Leg, v. t.
Legging (n.) A garment covering the leg (usually extending from the knee to the ankle) [syn: legging, leging, leg covering].
Leggings (n.) [ pl. ] 緊身褲 Very tight trousers made from a material that stretches easily, usually worn by women.
// A pair of leggings.
Leggy (a.) Having tall spindly stems; -- of plants.
Syn: tall-growing.
Leggy (a.) Having long legs. [WordNet sense 2] --Thackeray.
Syn: long-legged, long-shanked.
Leggy (a.) (Of plants) Having tall spindly stems [syn: leggy, tall-growing].
Leggy (a.) Having long legs [syn: leggy, long-legged, long-shanked].
Leghorn (n.) A straw plaiting used for bonnets and hats, made from the straw of a particular kind of wheat, grown for the purpose in Tuscany, Italy; -- so called from Leghorn, the place of exportation.
Leghorn (n.) A stiff hat made of straw with a flat crown [syn: boater, leghorn, Panama, Panama hat, sailor, skimmer, straw hat].
Legibility (n.) The quality of being legible; legibleness. -- Sir. D. Brewster.
Legibility (n.) Distinctness that makes perception easy [syn: discernability, legibility].
Legibility (n.) A quality of writing (print or handwriting) that can be easily read [syn: legibility, readability] [ant: illegibility].
Legible (a.) Capable of being read or deciphered; distinct to the eye; plain; -- used of writing or printing; as, a fair, legible manuscript.
The stone with moss and lichens so overspread, Nothing is legible but the name alone. -- Longfellow.