Search for: legalism
2361 Etymology dictionary, p. aforesaid (adj.).2
"mentioned before in a preceding part of the same writing or speech," a common legal word, late 14c., from afore + said .
2362 Etymology dictionary, p. aforethought (adj.).2
"premeditated," a legal word, 1580s, from afore + past tense of think. Apparently an English loan-translation of the Old French legalese word prepense (see prepense ) in the phrase malice prepense "malice aforethought" (Coke).
2363 Etymology dictionary, p. aggrieved (adj.).2
c. 1300, "annoyed, incensed, resentful, angry;" late 14c., "oppressed in spirit," past-participle adjective from aggrieve (v.). The legal sense of "injured or wronged in one's rights" is from 1580s.
2364 Etymology dictionary, p. a.k.a..2
also a k a, aka, initialism (acronym) for also known as; attested in legal documents by 1935.
2365 Etymology dictionary, p. alienation (n.).3
… U.S. legal term in divorce cases for "falling in love with someone else" dates to 1861.
2366 Etymology dictionary, p. -ality.2
… , loyalty / legality .
2367 Etymology dictionary, p. allegation (n.).2
… (non-legal) use, since 17c., often suggesting an assertion without proof.
2368 Etymology dictionary, p. allegiance (n.).2
… -obsolete legal term allegeance "alleviation, mitigation" (for which see allay (v.)). The general figurative sense of "recognition of claims to respect or duty …
2369 Etymology dictionary, p. allocate (v.).2
… . in legal use.
2370 Etymology dictionary, p. amendment (n.).2
… a legal process" (c. 1600) and "alteration of a writ or bill" to remove its faults (1690s).
2371 Etymology dictionary, p. amerce (v.).2
… ). The legal phrase estre a merci "to be at the mercy of" (a tribunal, etc.) was corrupted to estre amercié, a good example of how an adverbial phrase in legalese tends …
2372 Etymology dictionary, p. Anglo-French (n.).2
the form of Old French written in England from the Norman Conquest (1066) through the Middle Ages; the administrative and legal language of England 12c.-17c.; the name is attested from 1887 and was popularized, if not coined, by Skeat.
2373 Etymology dictionary, p. anomic (adj.).3
Also attested from 1919 in a sense "non-legal."
2374 Etymology dictionary, p. anti-choice (adj.).2
also antichoice, by 1978, American English, in reference to opposition to legalized abortion; from anti- + choice (n.). Compare pro-life .
2375 Etymology dictionary, p. appeal (v.).2
… the legal sense, to "call" to a higher judge or court, from Anglo-French apeler "to call upon, accuse," Old French apeler "make an appeal" (11c., Modern French appeler …
2376 Etymology dictionary, p. apprentice (n.).2
… by legal agreement to an employer to learn a craft or trade," c. 1300, from Old French aprentiz "someone learning" (13c., Modern French apprenti, taking the older …
2377 Etymology dictionary, p. apprenticeship (n.).2
… or legal condition of an apprentice; process of gaining knowledge of a trade, etc., from the instruction of a master; term during which one is an apprentice," 1590s …
2378 Etymology dictionary, p. arbitrator (n.).3
The legal form of popular arbiter. In modern usage, an arbiter makes decisions of his own accord and is accountable to no one but himself; an arbitrator decides …
2379 Etymology dictionary, p. arbitrary (adj.).3
Latin arbitrarius in legal language was opposed to certus "fixed, established" which also meant "placed beyond doubt, sure" (see certain ), and arbitrarius came to mean, popularly, "uncertain, unsure."
2380 Etymology dictionary, p. arbitrary (adj.).4
The legal and classical sense of "at the discretion of an arbitrator or other legally recognized authority" (as opposed to "to be determined by fixed rules …