catflap.org Online Dictionary Query

  Statute \Stat"ute\ (-[-u]t), n. [F. statut, LL. statutum, from
     L. statutus, p. p. of statuere to set, station, ordain, fr.
     status position, station, fr. stare, statum, to stand. See
     Stand, and cf. Constitute, Destitute.]
     1. An act of the legislature of a state or country,
        declaring, commanding, or prohibiting something; a
        positive law; the written will of the legislature
        expressed with all the requisite forms of legislation; --
        used in distinction from common law. See Common law,
        under Common, a. --Bouvier.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: Statute is commonly applied to the acts of a
           legislative body consisting of representatives. In
           monarchies, the laws of the sovereign are called
           edicts, decrees, ordinances, rescripts, etc. In works
           on international law and in the Roman law, the term is
           used as embracing all laws imposed by competent
           authority. Statutes in this sense are divided into
           statutes real, statutes personal, and statutes mixed;
           statutes real applying to immovables; statutes personal
           to movables; and statutes mixed to both classes of
           property.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     2. An act of a corporation or of its founder, intended as a
        permanent rule or law; as, the statutes of a university.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. An assemblage of farming servants (held possibly by
        statute) for the purpose of being hired; -- called also
        statute fair. [Eng.] Cf. 3d Mop, 2. --Halliwell.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Statute book, a record of laws or legislative acts.
        --Blackstone.
  
     Statute cap, a kind of woolen cap; -- so called because
        enjoined to be worn by a statute, dated in 1571, in behalf
        of the trade of cappers. [Obs.] --Halliwell.
  
     Statute fair. See Statute, n., 3, above.
  
     Statute labor, a definite amount of labor required for the
        public service in making roads, bridges, etc., as in
        certain English colonies.
  
     Statute merchant (Eng. Law), a bond of record pursuant to
        the stat. 13 Edw. I., acknowledged in form prescribed, on
        which, if not paid at the day, an execution might be
        awarded against the body, lands, and goods of the debtor,
        and the obligee might hold the lands until out of the
        rents and profits of them the debt was satisfied; --
        called also a pocket judgment. It is now fallen into
        disuse. --Tomlins. --Bouvier.
  
     Statute mile. See under Mile.
  
     Statute of limitations (Law), a statute assigning a certain
        time, after which rights can not be enforced by action.
  
     Statute staple, a bond of record acknowledged before the
        mayor of the staple, by virtue of which the creditor may,
        on nonpayment, forthwith have execution against the body,
        lands, and goods of the debtor, as in the statute
        merchant. It is now disused. --Blackstone.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Syn: Act; regulation; edict; decree. See Law.
          [1913 Webster]

  Statute \Stat"ute\, n. [F. statut, LL. statutum, from L.
     statutus, p. p. of statuere to set, station, ordain, fr.
     status position, station, fr. stare, statum, to stand. See
     Stand, and cf. Constitute, Destitute.]
     1. An act of the legislature of a state or country,
        declaring, commanding, or prohibiting something; a
        positive law; the written will of the legislature
        expressed with all the requisite forms of legislation; --
        used in distinction fraom common law. See Common law,
        under Common, a. --Bouvier.
  
     Note: Statute is commonly applied to the acts of a
           legislative body consisting of representatives. In
           monarchies, legislature laws of the sovereign are
           called edicts, decrees, ordinances, rescripts, etc. In
           works on international law and in the Roman law, the
           term is used as embracing all laws imposed by competent
           authority. Statutes in this sense are divided into
           statutes real, statutes personal, and statutes mixed;
           statutes real applying to immovables; statutes personal
           to movables; and statutes mixed to both classes of
           property.
  
     2. An act of a corporation or of its founder, intended as a
        permanent rule or law; as, the statutes of a university.
  
     3. An assemblage of farming servants (held possibly by
        statute) for the purpose of being hired; -- called also
        statute fair. [Eng.] Cf. 3d Mop, 2. --Halliwell.
  
     Statute book, a record of laws or legislative acts.
        --Blackstone.
  
     Statute cap, a kind of woolen cap; -- so called because
        enjoined to be worn by a statute, dated in 1571, in behalf
        of the trade of cappers. [Obs.] --Halliwell.
  
     Statute fair. See Statute, n., 3, above.
  
     Statute labor, a definite amount of labor required for the
        public service in making roads, bridges, etc., as in
        certain English colonies.
  
     Statute merchant (Eng. Law), a bond of record pursuant to
        the stat. 13 Edw. I., acknowledged in form prescribed, on
        which, if not paid at the day, an execution might be
        awarded against the body, lands, and goods of the debtor,
        and the obligee might hold the lands until out of the
        rents and profits of them the debt was satisfied; --
        called also a pocket judgment. It is now fallen into
        disuse. --Tomlins. --Bouvier.
  
     Statute mile. See under Mile.
  
     Statute of limitations (Law), a statute assigned a certain
        time, after which rights can not be enforced by action.
  
     Statute staple, a bond of record acknowledged before the
        mayor of the staple, by virtue of which the creditor may,
        on nonpayment, forthwith have execution against the body,
        lands, and goods of the debtor, as in the statute
        merchant. It is now disused. --Blackstone.
  
     Syn: Act; regulation; edict; decree. See Law.