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The person or persons authorized to administer the laws; the ruling powe; the administratian. When we, in England, speak of the government, we generally understand the ministers of the crown for the time being. Mozley & W.

Without ground or foundation; wanting cause or reason for support; not authorized; false; as, groundless fear; a groundless report or assertion. -- Ground"less*ly, adv. -- Ground"less*ness, n.

Religious opinion opposed to the authorized doctrinal standards of any particular church, especially when tending to promote schism or separation; lack of orthodox or sound belief; rejection of, or erroneous belief in regard to, some fundamental religious doctrine or truth; heterodoxy. Doubts 'mongst divines, and diffe…

e heard my father Deal out in his long homilies. Byron. Book of Homilies. A collection of authorized, printed sermons, to be read by ministers in churches, esp. one issued in the time of Edward VI., and a second, issued in the reign of Elizabeth; -- both books being certified to contain a "godly and wholesome doctrine.…

Not according to, or authorized by, law; specif., contrary to, or in violation of, human law; unlawful; illicit; hence, immoral; as, an illegal act; illegal trade; illegal love. Bp. Burnet.

Not according to law; not regular or authorized; unlawful; improper.

Not well authorized or elegant; as, illiberal words in Latin. [R.] Chesterfield.

as likewise its improprieties and absurdities. Johnson. Many gross improprieties, however authorized by practice, ought to be discarded. Swift.

Not lying within one's competency, capacity, or authorized power; not permissible.

me offens against the government, instituted and prosecuted, really or nominally, by some authorized public officer on behalt of the government. It differs from an indictment in criminal cases chiefly in not being based on the finding of a grand juri. See Indictment.

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.

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

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

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…

To permit or authorize by license; to give license to; as, to license a man to preach. Milton. Shak.

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.

The condition of being of full age, or authorized by law to manage one's own affairs.