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Liberty granted by which restraint or illegality is removed; permission; allowance; license. David earnestly asked leave of me. 1 Sam. xx. 6. No friend has leave to bear away the dead. Dryden.

Accordant with law or with established legal forms and requirements; lawful; as, legitimate government; legitimate rights; the legitimate succession to the throne; a legitimate proceeding of an officer; a legitimate heir.

Lawyerlike; legal. [R.] "Leguleian barbarism." De Quincey. -- n.

certain acts or to carry on a certain business, which without such permission would be illegal; a grant of permission; as, a license to preach, to practice medicine, to sell gunpowder or intoxicating liquors. To have a license and a leave at London to dwell. P. Plowman.

nd services. -- Liege poustie Etym: [L. legitima potestas] (Scots Law), perfect, i. e., legal, power; specif., having health requisite to do legal acts. -- Liege widowhood, perfect, i. e., pure, widowhood. [Obs.]

A legal claim; a charge upon real or personal property for the satisfaction of some debt or duty; a right in one to control or hold and retain the property of another until some claim of the former is paid or satisfied.

Not of the legal, standard, or usual weight; clipped; diminished; as, light coin.

Of or pertaining to legal disputes. Nor brothers cite to the litigious bar. Young.

le, or pertaining to a particular subject; as, the lore of the Egyptians; priestly lore; legal lore; folklore. "The lore of war." Fairfax. His fair offspring, nursed in princely lore. Milton.

read among Italians, and is used to further or protect private interests, reputedly by illegal methods.

Of full legal age. [Obs.]

The doing of an act which a person ought not to do; evil conduct; an illegal deed. [Written also malefeasance.]

Evil practice; illegal or immoral conduct; practice contrary to established rules; specifically, the treatment of a case by a surgeon or physician in a manner which is contrary to accepted rules and productive of unfavorable results. [Written also malepractice.]

od additive for anti-caking properties, or as a sweetener. Also used to "cut" (dilute) illegal drugs such as cocaine or heroin. ("excipient" use)

A contrivance or maneuvering to catch game illegally.

The act of marrying, or the state of being married; legal union of a man and a woman for life, as husband and wife; wedlock; matrimony. Marriage is honorable in all. Heb. xiii. 4.

pon that title, he could be but a king at courtesy, and have rather a matrimonial than a regal power. Bacon.

reated of, or treated; subject of action, discussion, consideration, feeling, complaint, legal action, or the like; theme. "If the matter should be tried by duel." Bacon. Son of God, Savior of men ! Thy name Shall be the copious matter of my song. Milton. Every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small m…

a family of extinct edentates found in America. The family includes the megatherium, the megalonyx, etc.

One of the larger measures of work, amounting to one million ergs; -- called also megalerg.