See Also: statute law(dictionary)
LAW, STATUTE(law)
statute(dictionary)
ACT (STATUTE)(law)
Statute:(law)
statute(2)(dictionary)
statute(1)(dictionary)
Statute(money)
Statute(law)
Statute(medicine)

statute(2) (iou)



statute noun & adjective. ME.
[Old & mod. French statut from late Latin statutum decree, decision, law, use as noun of neut. pa. pple of Latin statuere set up, establish, decree, from STATUS.]
A. noun. Chiefly Law.
I.
A law or decree made by a monarch or legislative authority. obsolete exc. as below. ME.
b. A divine law. LME.
c. A law or rule of a guild, corporation, etc.; a by-law of a borough. LME.
W. Paley Statutes of some colleges forbid the speaking of any language but Latin.
A decree or enactment passed by a legislative body, and expressed in a formal document; an Act of Parliament; the document containing such an enactment. ME.
J. Dowden Another Act was passed by Parliament strengthening the earlier statute.
A statute merchant, a statute staple. Also statute of the staple. LME-E18.
Hist. sing. & in pl. An annual fair or gathering held for the hiring of servants. Also statute fair, statute hiring. L16.
II.
[By confusion.] = STATUE noun 1. Now rare. LME.
Phrases: by statute, by the statute according to the measure, price, etc., appointed by statute; by fixed rule, strictly. statute of limitations: see LIMITATION 6. statute of the staple: see sense 3 above. statutes at large the statutes as originally enacted, regardless of later modifications.
Comb.: statute-barred adjective (of a case etc.) barred by the statute of limitations; statute-book (a) a book or books containing statutes; (b) the whole body of the statute law of a nation or State; statute fair, statute hiring: see sense 4 above; statute labour a specific amount of labour formerly required by statute to be performed on public roads by the inhabitants of a parish; statute law (a) a law contained in a statute; (b) more widely, the system of law and body of principles laid down in statutes, as distinguished from common law; statute merchant Hist. a bond acknowledged before the chief magistrate of a trading town, giving to an obligee power of seizure of the lands and property of an obligor until payment of an outstanding debt; statute mile: see MILE 1; statute-roll the roll on which statutes are engrossed; a statute-book; statute staple Hist. a bond acknowledged before the mayor of the staple, conveying powers similar to those given by a statute merchant.
b. attrib. or as adjective. Chiefly Law. Fixed or recognized by statute; statutory. Also, customary. L16.