Search the Dictionary

aving the power to make, a law or laws; lawmaking; -- distinguished from executive; as, a legislative act; a legislative body. The supreme legislative power of England was lodged in the king and great council, or what was afterwards called the Parliament. Hume.

In a legislative manner.

The result of public deliberation; the decision or determination of a legislative body, council, court of justice, etc.; a decree, edit, law, judgment, resolve, award; as, an act of Parliament, or of Congress.

One of a board or body of municipal officers next in order to the mayor and having a legislative function. They may, in some cases, individually exercise some magisterial and administrative functions.

of Chancery. Council of Ancients (French Hist.), one of the two assemblies composing the legislative bodies in 1795. Brande.

m all attainder of suspect. Shak. Bill of attainder, a bill brought into, or passed by, a legislative body, condemning a person to death or outlawry, and attainder, without judicial sentence.

ng assent, or an affirmative answer to a question. It is much used in viva voce voting in legislative bodies, etc.

Consisting of, or including, two chambers, or legislative branches. Bentham.

as a surveyor's mark. Three blazes in a perpendicular line on the same tree indicating a legislative road, the single blaze a settlement or neighborhood road. Carlton. In a blaze, on fire; burning with a flame; filled with, giving, or reflecting light; excited or exasperated. -- Like blazes, furiously; rapidly. [Low]…

e, or as organized for some purpose; a collective whole or totality; a corporation; as, a legislative body; a clerical body. A numerous body led unresistingly to the slaughter. Prescott.

es applied to a similar statement in other countries. To open the budget, to lay before a legislative body the financial estimates and plans of the executive government.

federal council of the German Empire. In the Bundesrath and the Reichstag are vested the legislative functions. The federal council of Switzerland is also so called.

A memorial of a body; a report of legislative proceedings, etc.

or events; a schedule; as, a calendar of state papers; a calendar of bills presented in a legislative assemblly; a calendar of causes arranged for trial in court; a calendar of a college or an academy.

into action or discussion; to demand the consideration of; as, to call up a bill before a legislative body.

g over or reciting in order, or a call of names with a view to obtaining an answer, as in legislative bodies.

Those members of a legislative assembly (as in France) who support the existing government. They sit in the middle of the legislative chamber, opposite the presiding officer, between the conservatives or monarchists, who sit on the right of the speaker, and the radicals or advanced republicans who occupy the seats on h…

A legislative or judicial body; an assembly; a society or association; as, the Chamber of Deputies; the Chamber of Commerce.

An act of a legislative body creating a municipal or other corporation and defining its powers and privileges. Also, an instrument in writing from the constituted authorities of an order or society (as the Freemasons), creating a lodge and defining its powers.

method of putting an end to debate and securing an immediate vote upon a measure before a legislative body. It is similar in effect to the previous question. It was first introduced into the British House of Commons in 1882. The French word clôture was originally applied to this proceeding.