Part 765

<note>&hand; An attorney is either <i>public</i> or <i>private</i>. A <i>private attorney</i>, or an <i>attorney in fact</i>, is a person appointed by another, by a letter or power of attorney, to transact any business for him out of court; but in a more extended sense, this class includes any agent employed in any business, or to do any act <i>in pais</i>, for another. A <i>public attorney</i>, or <i>attorney at law</i>, is a practitioner in a court of law, legally qualified to prosecute and defend actions in such court, on the retainer of clients. <i>Bouvier</i>. -- The attorney at law answers to the <i>procurator</i> of the civilians, to the <i>solicitor</i> in chancery, and to the <i>proctor</i> in the ecclesiastical and admiralty courts, and all of these are comprehended under the more general term <i>lawyer</i>. In Great Britain and in some states of the United States, attorneys are distinguished from counselors in that the business of the former is to carry on the practical and formal parts of the suit. In many states of the United States however, no such distinction exists. In England, since 1873, attorneys at law are by statute called <i>solicitors</i>.</note>

<cs><mcol><col>A power</col>, <col>letter</col>, or <col>warrant</col>, <col>of attorney</col></mcol>, <cd>a written authority from one person empowering another to transact business for him.</cd></cs>

<h1>Attorney</h1> <Xpage=99>

<hw>At*tor"ney</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <def>To perform by proxy; to employ as a proxy.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Shak.</i>

<h1>Attorney-general</h1> <Xpage=99>

<hw>At*tor"ney-gen"er*al</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt>; <plu>(pl. Attorney-generals or Attorneys-general)</plu>. <fld>(Law)</fld> <def>The chief law officer of the state, empowered to act in all litigation in which the law-executing power is a party, and to advise this supreme executive whenever required.</def>

<i>Wharton.</i>

<h1>Attorneyism</h1> <Xpage=99>

<hw>At*tor"ney*ism</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>The practice or peculiar cleverness of attorneys.</def>

<h1>Attorneyship</h1> <Xpage=99>

<hw>At*tor"ney*ship</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>The office or profession of an attorney; agency for another.</def>

<i>Shak.</i>

<h1>Attornment</h1> <Xpage=99>

<hw>At*torn"ment</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[OF. <ets>attornement</ets>, LL. <ets>attornamentum</ets>. See <er>Attorn</er>.]</ety> <fld>(Law)</fld> <def>The act of a feudatory, vassal, or tenant, by which he consents, upon the alienation of an estate, to receive a new lord or superior, and transfers to him his homage and service; the agreement of a tenant to acknowledge the purchaser of the estate as his landlord.</def>

<i>Burrill. Blackstone.</i>

<h1>Attract</h1> <Xpage=99>

<hw>At*tract"</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Attracted</er>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Attracting</er>.]</wordforms> <ety>[L. <ets>attractus</ets>, p. p. of <ets>attrahere</ets>; <ets>ad + trahere</ets> to draw. See <er>Trace</er>, <tt>v. t.</tt>]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>To draw to, or cause to tend to; esp. to cause to approach, adhere, or combine; or to cause to resist divulsion, separation, or decomposition.</def>

<blockquote>All bodies and all parts of bodies mutually <b>attract</b> themselves and one another. <i>Derham.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>To draw by influence of a moral or emotional kind; to engage or fix, as the mind, attention, etc.; to invite or allure; <as>as, to <ex>attract</ex> admirers</as>.</def>

<blockquote><b>Attracted</b> by thy beauty still to gaze. <i>Milton.</i></blockquote>

<syn>Syn. -- To draw; allure; invite; entice; influence.</syn>

<h1>Attract</h1> <Xpage=99>

<hw>At*tract"</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>Attraction.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Hudibras.</i>

<h1>Attractability</h1> <Xpage=99>

<hw>At*tract`a*bil"i*ty</hw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>The quality or fact of being attractable.</def>

<i>Sir W. Jones.</i>