LEGAL • DICTIONARY ONE.COM • Definition of Legal

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/lˈigəl/ Listen

adjective

Legal adj.

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.

(Theol.)

(a)

According to the law of works, as distinguished from free grace; or resting on works for salvation.

(b)

According to the old or Mosaic dispensation; in accordance with the law of Moses.

(Law) Governed by the rules of law as distinguished from the rules of equity; as, legal estate; legal assets.

Legal cap. See under Cap.

Legal tender.

(a)

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.

(b)

That currency, or money, which the law authorizes a debtor to tender and requires a creditor to receive. It differs in different countries.

Synonyms: Lawful; constitutional; legitimate; licit; authorized. See Lawful.

See images of 'Legal'

Etymology of 'Legal'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Legal" Quotes from Famous Books

... you will believe," she began, "that the few questions I have to ask you are to satisfy my own heart, and for no other purpose." She smiled sadly as she went on. "Had it been otherwise, I should have instituted a legal inquiry, and left this interview to some one cooler, calmer, and less interested than myself. But I think, I know I can trust you. Perhaps we women are weak and foolish to talk of an instinct, and ...

— Frontier Stories • Bret Harte

... (527-565 A.D.), and the chronicler of the great deeds of the general Belisarius. He was born late in the fifth century in the city of Caesarea in Palestine. As to his education and early years we are not informed, but we know that he studied to fit himself for the legal profession. He came as a young man to Constantinople, and seems to have made his mark immediately. For as early as the year 527 he was appointed legal adviser and private secretary[1] to Belisarius, then a very young man who had been serving on the staff of the general Justinian, and had ...

— History of the Wars, Books I and II (of 8) - The Persian War • Procopius

... long practice to distinguish between right and wrong, between truth and falsehood; and yet, in five cases out of six that come before them, they signally fail of redressing the wrongs brought before them. Unhappily, in the nature of things, much delay must occur in all legal procedure; and further, the machinery of the law cannot be set in motion unless at very considerable expense. Now, every one knows that delay in gaining a legal decision of a debated question, very often amounts to a decision against both parties. What enjoyment of the summer days has ...

— The Recreations of A Country Parson • A. K. H. Boyd

... who had been committed to take her trial on a charge of concealing the birth of a child. For prisoners in these circumstances I always felt great sympathy, and regarded the moral guilt as altogether unworthy of punishment. The law, however, was bound to be vindicated so far as the legal offence was concerned. She had already been in prison for three months, because she was too poor and too friendless to find bail. I am always pointing out that if magistrates would send more cases to the Judges than they do, they would get some precedents as to the appropriate measure of punishment, ...

— The Reminiscences Of Sir Henry Hawkins (Baron Brampton) • Henry Hawkins Brampton

... fancy that they have come simply to witness the trial of the son of one of England's brave admirals for misdemeanour. The matter is of far more importance, Wenlock. Master Penn disputes, and so do I, that this 'Conventicle Act' is legal in any way. We hold it to be equally hostile to the people and our Great Charter. Is an edict which abolishes one of the fundamental rights secured to the nation by our ancient Constitution, though passed by ...

— A True Hero - A Story of the Days of William Penn • W.H.G. Kingston

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