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give authority to; to delegate power to; to commission; to authorize (having commonly a legal force); as, the Supreme Court is empowered to try and decide cases, civil or criminal; the attorney is empowered to sign an acquittance, and discharge the debtor.

To decree; to establish by legal and authoritative act; to make into a law; especially, to perform the legislative act with reference to (a bill) which gives it the validity of law.

To load with debts, or other legal claims; as, to encumber an estate with mortgages.

Contaminated with illegality. [Obs.] Chaucer.

-- Engrossing hand (Penmanship), a fair, round style of writing suitable for engrossing legal documents, legislative bills, etc.

To engage in; to become occupied with; as, to enter the legal profession, the book trade, etc.

That which is legally submitted to competent tribunal, as a means of ascertaining the truth of any alleged matter of fact under investigation before it; means of making proof; -- the latter, strictly speaking, not being synonymous with evidence, but rather the effect of it. Greenleaf. Circumstantial evidence, Conclusiv…

ay your exactions from my people. Ezek. xlv. 9. Daily new exactions are devised. Shak. Illegal exactions of sheriffs and officials. Bancroft.

To complete, as a legal instrument; to perform what is required to give validity to, as by signing and perhaps sealing and delivering; as, to execute a deed, lease, mortgage, will, etc.

A putting to death as a legal penalty; death lawfully inflicted; as, the execution of a murderer. A warrant for his execution. Shak.

One who puts to death in conformity to legal warrant, as a hangman.

a court or officer, in course of proceedings; also, to present or offer officially or in legal form; to bring, as a charge. He suffered his attorney-general to exhibit a charge of high treason against the earl. Clarendon.

at the expiry of the term. Lamb. The Parliament . . . now approaching the expiry of its legal term. J. Morley.

t from an unwilling person by physical force, menace, duress, torture, or any undue or illegal exercise of power or ingenuity; to wrench away (from); to tear away; to wring (from); to exact; as, to extort contributions from the vanquished; to extort confessions of guilt; to extort a promise; to extort payment of a debt…

Out of or beyond the proper authority of a court or judge; beyond jurisdiction; not legally required. "An extrajudicial opinion." Hallam. -- Ex`tra*ju*di"cial*ly, adv.

ad studied; at present, the members of a profession itself; as, the medical faculty; the legal faculty, ect.

ng the quality of felony; malignant; malicious; villainous; traitorous; perfidious; in a legal sense, done with intent to commit a crime; as, felonious homicide. O thievish Night, Why should'st thou, but for some felonious end, In thy dark lantern thus close up the stars Milton. -- Fe*lo"ni`ous*ly, adv. -- Fe*lo"ni`ou…

The price of grain, as legally fixed, in the counties of Scotland, for the current year.

ion shall, for aught he knows, the next minute supervene. Dr. H. More. For anything that legally appears to the contrary, it may be a contrivance to fright us. Swift.

Belonging to courts of judicature or to public discussion and debate; used in legal proceedings, or in public discussions; argumentative; rhetorical; as, forensic eloquence or disputes. Forensic medicine, medical jurisprudence; medicine in its relations to law.