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Constituted or authorized by law; rightful; as, the lawful owner of lands. Lawful age, the age when the law recognizes one's right of independent action; majority; -- generally the age of twenty-one years.

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

A layman authorized to read parts of the public service of the church.

To conduct or direct with authority; to have direction or charge of; as, to lead an army, an exploring party, or a search; to lead a political party. Christ took not upon him flesh and blood that he might conquer and rule nations, lead armies, or possess places. South.

One having authority to direct; a chief; a commander.

A reprimand or formal reproof from one having authority.

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

An ecclesiastic representing the pope and invested with the authority of the Holy See.

Of or pertaining to making laws. Practically, in many cases, authority or legific competence has begun in bare power. J. Grote.

Authorized; real; genuine; not false, counterfeit, or spurious; as, legitimate poems of Chaucer; legitimate inscriptions.

One who supports legitimate authority; esp., one who believes in hereditary monarchy, as a divine right.

rs of administration (Law), the instrument by which an administrator or administratrix is authorized to administer the goods and estate of a deceased person. -- Letter of attorney, Letter of credit, etc. See under Attorney, Credit, etc. -- Letter of license, a paper by which creditors extend a debtor's time for payin…

The act of levying or collecting by authority; as, the levy of troops, taxes, etc. A levy of all the men left under sixty. Thirlwall.

The author or compiler of a lexicon or dictionary. Every other author may aspire to praise; the lexicographer can only hope to escape reproach; and even this negative recompense has been yet granted to very few. Johnson.

Authority or liberty given to do or forbear any act; especially, a formal permission from the proper authorities to perform 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 intoxicat…

Having a license; permitted or authorized by license; as, a licensed victualer; a licensed traffic. Licensed victualer, one who has a license to keep an in or eating house; esp., a victualer who has a license to sell intoxicating liquors.

A friar authorized to receive confessions and grant absolution in all places, independently of the local clergy. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Sovereign; independent; having authority or right to allegiance; as, a liege lord. Chaucer. She looked as grand as doomsday and as grave; And he, he reverenced his liege lady there. Tennyson.

atural organism in structure or functions; as, the life of a state, a machine, or a book; authority is the life of government.

Confined within limits; limited in extent, authority, power, etc. "The limitary ocean." Trench. The poor, limitary creature calling himself a man of the world. De Quincey.