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r's field, a public burial place, especially in a city, for paupers, unknown persons, and criminals; -- so named from the field south of Jerusalem, mentioned in Matt. xxvii. 7. -- Potter's ore. See Alquifou. -- Potter's wheel, a horizontal revolving disk on which the clay is molded into form with the hands or tools.…

A preliminary examination of a criminal case with reference to a prosecution. Erskine.

Specifically, a building for the safe custody or confinement of criminals and others committed by lawful authority. Prison bars, or Prison base. See Base, n., 24. -- Prison breach. (Law) See Note under 3d Escape, n., 4. -- Prison house, a prison. Shak. -- Prison ship (Naut.), a ship fitted up for the confinement of…

The whole course of proceedings in a cause real or personal, civil or criminal, from the beginning to the end of the suit; strictly, the means used for bringing the defendant into court to answer to the action; -- a generic term for writs of the class called judicial. Deacon's process Etym: [from H. Deacon, who introdu…

The institution, or commencement, and continuance of a criminal suit; the process of exhibiting formal charges against an offender before a legal tribunal, and pursuing them to final judgment on behalf of the state or government, as by indictment or information.

The person who institutes and carries on a criminal suit against another in the name of the government. Blackstone.

than descent or inheritance, namely, by one's own act or agreement. Blackstone. Purchase criminal, robbery. [Obs.] Spenser. -- Purchase money, the money paid, or contracted to be paid, for anything bought. Berkeley. -- Worth, or At, [so many] years' purchase, a phrase by which the value or cost of a thing is express…

rving as a fence to the quarter-deck. -- Quarter sessions (Eng. Law), a general court of criminal jurisdiction held quarterly by the justices of peace in counties and by the recorders in boroughs. -- Quarter square (Math.), the fourth part of the square of a number. Tables of quarter squares have been devised to save…

rter, n., 1 (m) (Arch.) Gwilt. Quartering block, a block on which the body of a condemned criminal was quartered. Macaulay.

s, the joints were dislocated; -- formerly used judicially for extorting confessions from criminals or suspected persons. During the troubles of the fifteenth century, a rack was introduced into the Tower, and was occasionally used under the plea of political necessity. Macaulay.

betimes. [Obs. or Poetic] Why rise ye up so rathe Chaucer. Too rathe cut off by practice criminal. Spencer.

a falling back or relapse into prior criminal habits, esp. after conviction and punishment.

One who is recidivous or is characterized by recidivism; an incorrigible criminal. -- Re*cid`i*vis"tic (#), a.

of London is judge of the Lord Mayor's Court, and one of the commissioners of the Central Criminal Court.

suspend the execution of sentence on; to give a respite to; to respite; as, to reprieve a criminal for thirty days. He reprieves the sinnner from time to time. Rogers.

To harbor or secrete; to hide, as stolen goods or a criminal. We shall see if an English hound is to harbor and reset the Southrons here. Sir. W. Scott.

One who receives or conceals, as stolen goods or criminal.

ent; to requite; as, to retribute one for his kindness; to retribute just punishment to a criminal. [Obs. or R.] Locke.

ast; retrospective. Beddoes. Retroactive law or statute (Law), one which operates to make criminal or punishable, or in any way expressly to affect, acts done prior to the passing of the law.

al claim to do or to exact; legal power; authority; as, a sheriff has a right to arrest a criminal.