Search for: legalism
2721 Etymology dictionary, p. plaintiff (n.).2
… into legal usage retained the older -iff spelling.
2722 Etymology dictionary, p. plea (n.).2
… , "lawsuit, legal conflict," also "strife, contention, complaint," from Anglo-French plai (late 12c.), Old French plait "lawsuit, decision, decree" (9c.), from Medieval Latin …
2723 Etymology dictionary, p. plea (n.).3
… were legal proceedings over which the Crown did not claim exclusive jurisdiction (as distinct from pleas of the Crown "public prosecution in criminal cases …
2724 Etymology dictionary, p. pollution (n.).2
… , defilement, legal or ceremonial uncleanness" (late 14c.), from Late Latin pollutionem (nominative pollutio ) "defilement," noun of action from past-participle …
2725 Etymology dictionary, p. poontang (n.).4
Putain itself entered English from French in the sense of "whore, prostitute" (c. 1300), mostly in the phrase fitz a putain "whoreson, son of a whore." Putage in old legal language meant "prostitution" (late 15c.).
2726 Etymology dictionary, p. porrect (v.).2
… ecclesiastical legal language. Related: Porrection .
2727 Etymology dictionary, p. positive (adj.).2
… a legal term meaning "formally laid down, decreed or legislated by authority" (opposed to natural ), from Old French positif (13c.) and directly from Latin positivus …
2728 Etymology dictionary, p. possess (v.).3
… a legal term first used in connection with real estate. The meaning "to hold as property" in English is recorded from c. 1500. That of "to seize, take possession …
2729 Etymology dictionary, p. possession (n.).3
The legal property sense is earliest; the demonic sense in English, "state of being under the control of evil spirits or of madness," first is recorded 1580s …
2730 Etymology dictionary, p. power (n.).2
… control; legal power or authority; authorization; military force, an army," from Anglo-French pouair, Old French povoir, noun use of the infinitive, "to be able …
2731 Etymology dictionary, p. precarious (adj.).2
1640s, a legal word, "held through the favor of another," from Latin precarius "depending on favor, pertaining to entreaty, obtained by asking or praying," from prex (genitive precis ) "entreaty, prayer" (from PIE root *prek- "to ask, entreat").
2732 Etymology dictionary, p. prejudice (n.).3
… the legal sense of "detriment or damage caused by the violation of a legal right." Meaning "preconceived opinion" (especially but not necessarily unfavorable …
2733 Etymology dictionary, p. premise (n.).3
In legal documents it meant "matter previously stated" (early 15c.), which in deeds or wills often was a description of a house or building, hence the extended meaning "house or building, with grounds" (1730).
2734 Etymology dictionary, p. prepense (adj.).3
Usually in the legal phrase malice prepense (with French word order) "wrong or injury purposefully done or planned in advance" (see malice ). This is attested from mid-15c. as malice prepensed. Related: Prepensive .
2735 Etymology dictionary, p. presenter (n.).2
mid-15c., presentour, "one who formally introduces a royal personage; one who presents or offers (a document, legal charge, etc.) for acceptance," agent noun from present (v.). The meaning "host of a radio or television program" is from 1967.
2736 Etymology dictionary, p. pretense (n.).2
… a legal right," from Anglo-French pretensse (Modern French prétense ), from Medieval Latin pretensio, noun of action from Late Latin praetensus, altered from …
2737 Etymology dictionary, p. prison (n.).3
… by legal process," the main modern sense.
2738 Etymology dictionary, p. privilege (n.).3
… . as "legal immunity or exemption."
2739 Etymology dictionary, p. privity (n.).3
From 1550s as "participation in the knowledge of something secret;" from 1520s as a legal term in feudal land tenure. Privities "private parts" is attested by late 14c.
2740 Etymology dictionary, p. prize (n.2).3
Especially of a ship captured legally at sea (1510s). The spelling with -z- is from late 16c.