Part 644

Leg"is*la*tive*ly, adv. In a legislative manner.

Leg"is*la`tor (lj"s*l`tr), n. [L. legis lator, prop., a proposer of a law; lex, legis, law + lator a proposer, bearer, fr. latus, used as p. p. of ferre to bear: cf. F. législateur. See Legal, and Tolerate.] A lawgiver; one who makes laws for a state or community; a member of a legislative body.

The legislators in ancient and heroical times.

Bacon.

Many of the legislators themselves had taken an oath of abjuration of his Majesty's person and family.

E. Phillips.

Leg`is*la*to"ri*al (- l*t"r*al), a. Of or pertaining to a legislator or legislature.

Leg"is*la`tor*ship (lj"s*l`tr*shp), n. The office of a legislator. Halifax.

{ Leg"is*la`tress (-trs), Leg"is*la`trix (-trks), } n. A woman who makes laws. Shaftesbury.

Leg"is*la`ture (lj"s*l`tr; 135), n. [Cf. F. législature.] The body of persons in a state or kingdom invested with power to make and repeal laws; a legislative body.

Without the concurrent consent of all three parts of the legislature, no law is, or can be, made.

Sir M. Hale.

The legislature of Great Britain consists of the Lords and Commons, with the king or queen, whose sanction is necessary to every bill before it becomes a law. The legislatures of most of the United States consist of two houses or branches; but the sanction or consent of the governor is required to give their acts the force of law, or a concurrence of two thirds of the two houses after he has refused his sanction and assigned his objections.

Le"gist (l"jst), n. [F. légiste, LL. legista, fr. L. lex, legis, law. See Legal.] One skilled in the laws; a writer on law. Milman. J. Morley.

Le*git"im (l*j"m), n. [See Legitimate, a.] (Scots Law) The portion of movable estate to which the children are entitled upon the death of the father.

Le*git"i*ma*cy (-*m*s), n. [See Legitimate, a.] The state, or quality, of being legitimate, or in conformity with law; hence, the condition of having been lawfully begotten, or born in wedlock.

The doctrine of Divine Right, which has now come back to us, like a thief from transportation, under the alias of Legitimacy.

Macaulay.

Le*git"i*mate (-mt), a. [LL. legitimatus, p. p. of legitimare to legitimate, fr. L. legitimus legitimate. See Legal.] 1. Accordant with law or with established legal forms and requirements; lawful; as, legitimate government; legitimate rights; the legitimate succession to the throne; a legitimate proceeding of an officer; a legitimate heir.

2. Lawfully begotten; born in wedlock.

3. Authorized; real; genuine; not false, counterfeit, or spurious; as, legitimate poems of Chaucer; legitimate inscriptions.

4. Conforming to known principles, or accepted rules; as, legitimate reasoning; a legitimate standard, or method; a legitimate combination of colors.

Tillotson still keeps his place as a legitimate English classic.

Macaulay.

5. Following by logical sequence; reasonable; as, a legitimate result; a legitimate inference.

Le*git"i*mate (-mt), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Legitimated (- m`td); p. pr. & vb. n. Legitimating (-m`tng).] To make legitimate, lawful, or valid; esp., to put in the position or state of a legitimate person before the law, by legal means; as, to legitimate a bastard child.

To enact a statute of that which he dares not seem to approve, even to legitimate vice.

Milton.