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Contaminating with illegality; exposing to seizure and forfeiture. Contraband articles are said to be of an infectious nature. Kent.

nt party (Law),a party who has not notice of a fact tainting a litigated transaction with illegality.

Contrary to, or unauthorized by, law; illegal; as, a lawless claim. He needs no indirect nor lawless course. Shak.

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.

rm 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.

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

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.]

food 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.

thing to another; a measure or step taken in a course of business; a transaction; as, an illegal proceeding; a cautious or a violent proceeding. The proceedings of the high commission. Macaulay.

a party, before or while paying a tax, duty, or the like, demanded of him, which he deems illegal, denying the justice of the demand, and asserting his rights and claims, in order to show that the payment was not voluntary. Story. Kent.

Opprobriously, a leader of a body of men engaged in the violation of law or in an illegal enterprise, as rioters, mutineers, or the like. The ringleaders were apprehended, tried, fined, and imprisoned. Macaulay.

A low public house; especially, a place where spirits and other excisable liquors are illegally and privately sold. [Ireland]

The act or process of torturing. Torture, whitch had always been deciared illegal, and which had recently been declared illegal even by the servile judges of that age, was inflicted for the last time in England in the month of May,

Not warrantable; indefensible; not vindicable; not justifiable; illegal; unjust; improper. -- Un*war"rant*a*ble*ness, n. -- Un*war"rant*a*bly, adv.

Practicing usury; taking illegal or exorbitant interest for the use of money; as, a usurious person.

nd exercise of power, especially an infringing on the rights of others; specifically, the illegal seizure of sovereign power; -- commonly used with of, also used with on or upon; as, the usurpation of a throne; the usurpation of the supreme power.

One who usurps; especially, one who seizes illegally on sovereign power; as, the usurper of a throne, of power, or of the rights of a patron. A crown will not want pretenders to claim it, not usurpers, if their power serves them, to possess it. South.

Not right; illegal; as, wrongous imprisonment. Craig.