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The right or power to introduce a new measure or course of action, as in legislation; as, the initiative in respect to revenue bills is in the House of Representatives.

A contrivance for forcing feed water into a steam boiler by the direct action of the steam upon the water. The water is driven into the boiler by the impulse of a jet of the steam which becomes condensed as soon as it strikes the stream of cold water it impels; - - also called Giffard's injector, from the inventor.…

Dryden. Court of inquiry. See under Court. -- Writ of inquiry, a writ issued in certain actions at law, where the defendant has suffered judgment to pass against him by default, in order to ascertain and assess the plaintiff's damages, where they can not readily be ascertained by mere calculation. Burrill.…

Of actions for recovering or reducing to possession or enjoyment a specific object, as in the enforcement of maritime liens against a vessel, which is made the defendant by a sort of personification. Most actions for the specific recovery of property in English and American law are in the nature of actions in personam…

r from incapacity to distinguish between right and wrong, with regard to any matter under action, does away with individual responsibility.

on; penetration; discernment; perception. Quickest insight In all things that to greatest actions lead. Milton.

sinews; to invigorate. [Obs.] All members of our cause, . . . That are insinewed to this action. Shak.

the Court of Admiralty acting within its ordinary jurisdiction, as distinguished from its action as a prize court.

or urge forward; to set on; to provoke; to incite; -- used chiefly with reference to evil actions; as to instigate one to a crime. He hath only instigated his blackest agents to the very extent of their malignity. Bp. Warburton.

Natural inward impulse; unconscious, involuntary, or unreasoning prompting to any mode of action, whether bodily, or mental, without a distinct apprehension of the end or object to be accomplished. An instinct is a propensity prior to experience, and independent of instructions. Paley. An instinct is a blind tendency t…

To treat with abuse, insolence, indignity, or contempt, by word or action; to abuse; as, to call a man a coward or a liar, or to sneer at him, is to insult him.

um or total of; as, an integrating anemometer, one that indicates or registers the entire action of the wind in a given time.

The act of becoming, or state of being, intemperate; excess in any kind of action or indulgence; any immoderate indulgence of the appetites or passions. God is in every creature; be cruel toward none, neither abuse any by intemperance. Jer. Taylor. Some, as thou sawest, by violent stroke shall die, By fire, flood, fami…

Intermediate action.

Intermediate; not final or definitive; made or done during the progress of an action.

vals, not apparently dependent upon rain or drought. They probably owe their intermittent action to their being connected with natural reservoirs in hills or mountains by passages having the form of a siphon, the water beginning to flow when it has accumulated so as to fill the upper part of the siphon, and ceasing whe…

Intrinsic; inherent; real. [R.] The internal rectitude of our actions in the sight of God. Rogers.

An act of interpellating, or of demanding of an officer an explanation of his action; imperative or peremptory questioning; a point raised in a debate.

Mutual action or influence; interaction; as, the interplay of affection.

ator; especially, a person who translates orally between two parties. We think most men's actions to be the interpreters of their thoughts. Locke.