PRIVILEGE

A peculiar benefit, advantage, or favor; a right or immunity not enjoyed by others or by all; special enjoyment of a good, or exemption from an evil or burden; a prerogative; advantage; franchise. He pleads the legal privilege of a Roman. Kettlewell. The privilege birthright was a double portion. Locke. A people inheriting privileges, franchises, and liberties. Burke.

See Call, Put, Spread, etc. Breach of privilege. See under Breach. -- Question of privilege (Parliamentary practice), a question which concerns the security of a member of a legislative body in his special privileges as such. -- Water privilege, the advantage of having machinery driven by a stream, or a place affording such advantage. [ U. S.] -- Writ of privilege (Law), a writ to deliver a privileged person from custody when arrested in a civil suit. Blackstone.

To grant some particular right or exemption to; to invest with a peculiar right or immunity; to authorize; as, to privilege representatives from arrest. To privilege dishonor in thy name. Shak.

To bring or put into a condition of privilege or exemption from evil or danger; to exempt; to deliver. He took this place for sanctuary, And it shall privilege him from your hands. Shak.