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That which one has to do or should do; special service, duty, or mission. The daughter of the King of France, On serious business, craving quick despatch, Importunes personal conference. Shak. What business has the tortoise among the clouds L'Estrange.

in a regiment, as a volunteer, with a view of acquiring military skill and obtaining a commission.

The position, rank, or commission of a cadet; as, to get a cadetship.

with a view to obtaining the ayes and noes from the persons named. -- Call to the bar, admission to practice in the courts.

igid that the monastic, and more restrained that the secular. -- Canonical obedience, submission to the canons of a canons of a church, especially the submission of the inferior cleargy to their bishops, and of other religious orders to their supriors. -- Canonical punishments, such as the church may inflict, as exco…

The rank, post, or commission of a captain. Washington. Captaincy general, the office, power, teritory, or jurisdiction of a captain general; as, the captaincy general of La Habana (Cuba and its islands).

That part of a legal instrument, as a commission, indictment, etc., which shows where, when, and by what authority, it taken, found, or executed. Bouvier. Wharton.

k paper, with a person's signature, etc., at the bottom, given to another person, with permission to superscribe what conditions he pleases. Hence: Unconditional terms; unlimited authority.

h, one officially recognized as a Christian, and admitted to instruction preliminary to admission to full membership in the church.

Without intermission or end.

for various purposes, as of support, of restraint, of ornament, of the exertion and transmission of mechanical power, etc. [They] put a chain of gold about his neck. Dan. v. 29.

kindly; gentle; beneficent. The graceful tact; the Christian art. Tennyson. Christian Commission. See under Commission. -- Christian court. Same as Ecclesiastical court. -- Christian era, the present era, commencing with the birth of Christ. It is supposed that owing to an error of a monk (Dionysius Exiguus, d. abou…

ate alphabet, system of characters, or other mode of writing, contrived for the safe transmission of secrets; also, a writing in such characters. His father . . . engaged him when he was very young to write all his letters to England in cipher. Bp. Burnet. Cipher key, a key to assist in reading writings in cipher.…

The act of passing from place to place or person to person; free diffusion; transmission. The true doctrines of astronomy appear to have had some popular circulation. Whewell.

positive evidence in that the latter is the testimony of eyewitnesses to a fact or the admission of a party; but the prevalent opinion now is that all such testimony is dependent on circumstances for its support. All testimony is more or less circumstantial. Wharton.

documents required by law, give bonds, or perform other acts requisite, and procure a permission to sail, and such papers as the law requires. -- To clear a ship for action, or To clear for action (Naut.), to remove incumbrances from the decks, and prepare for an engagement. -- To clear the land (Naut.), to gain suc…

A certificate that a ship or vessel has been cleared at the customhouse; permission to sail. Every ship was subject to seizure for want of stamped clearances. Durke

rror as to act convulsively. At the same time coercion is not negatived by the fact of submission under force. "Coactus volui" (I consented under compulsion) is the condition of mind which, when there is volition forced by coercion, annuls the result of such coercion. Wharton.

An officer appointed and commissioned to collect and receive customs, duties, taxes, or toll. A great part of this is now embezzled . . . by collectors, and other officers. Sir W. Temple.

The office, rank, or commission of a colonel.