Part 643

2. Capable of being discovered or understood by apparent marks or indications; as, the thoughts of men are often legible in their countenances.

Leg"i*ble*ness, n. The state or quality of being legible.

Leg"i*bly, adv. In a legible manner.

Le*gif"ic (l*jf"k), a. [L. lex, legis, law + - ficare (in comp.) to make. See -fy.] Of or pertaining to making laws.

Practically, in many cases, authority or legific competence has begun in bare power.

J. Grote.

Le"gion (l"jn), n. [OE. legioun, OF. legion, F. légion, fr. L. legio, fr. legere to gather, collect. See Legend.] 1. (Rom. Antiq.) A body of foot soldiers and cavalry consisting of different numbers at different periods, -- from about four thousand to about six thousand men, -- the cavalry being about one tenth.

2. A military force; an army; military bands.

3. A great number; a multitude.

Where one sin has entered, legions will force their way through the same breach.

Rogers.

4. (Taxonomy) A group of orders inferior to a class.

Legion of honor, an order instituted by the French government in 1802, when Bonaparte was First Consul, as a reward for merit, both civil and military.

Le"gion*a*ry (-*r), a. [L. legionarius: cf. F. légionnaire.] Belonging to a legion; consisting of a legion or legions, or of an indefinitely great number; as, legionary soldiers; a legionary force. "The legionary body of error." Sir T. Browne.

Le"gion*a*ry (l"jn**r), n.; pl. Legionaries (- rz). A member of a legion. Milton.

Le"gioned (l"jnd), a. Formed into a legion or legions; legionary. Shelley.

Le"gion*ry (l"jn*r), n. A body of legions; legions, collectively. [R.] Pollok.

Leg"is*late (lj"s*lt), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Legislated (- l`td); p. pr. & vb. n. Legislating (-l`tng).] [See Legislator.] To make or enact a law or laws.

Solon, in legislating for the Athenians, had an idea of a more perfect constitution than he gave them.

Bp. Watson (1805).

Leg`is*la"tion (-l"shn), n. [Cf. F. législation, L. legis latio. See Legislator.] The act of legislating; preparation and enactment of laws; the laws enacted.

Pythagoras joined legislation to his philosophy.

Lyttelton.

Leg"is*la*tive (lj"s*l*tv), a. [Cf. F. législatif.]

1. Making, or having 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.

2. Of or pertaining to the making of laws; suitable to legislation; as, the transaction of legislative business; the legislative style.