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Lawful
LAWFULLicit; legally warranted or authorized. The terms lawful and legal differ in that the former contemplates the substance of law, whereas the latter alludes to the form of law. A lawful act is authorized, sanctioned, or not forbidden by law. A legal act is performed in accordance with the forms and usages of law, or in a technical manner. In this sense, illegal approaches the meaning of invalid. For example, a contract or will, executed without the required formalities, might be regarded as invalid or illegal, but could not be described as unlawful. The term lawful more clearly suggests an ethical content than does the word legal. The latter merely denotes compliance with technical or formal rules, whereas the former usually signifies a moral substance or ethical permissibility. An additional distinction is that the word legal is used as the synonym of constructive, while lawful is not. Legal fraud is fraud implied by law, or made out by construction, but lawful fraud would be a contradiction in terms. Legal is also used as the antithesis of equitable, just. As a result, legal estate is the correct usage, instead of lawful estate. Under certain circumstances, however, the two words are used as exact equivalents. A lawful writ, warrant, or process is the same as a legal writ, warrant, or process. |
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Cite this article
"Lawful." West's Encyclopedia of American Law. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 13 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Lawful." West's Encyclopedia of American Law. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 13, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3437702605.html "Lawful." West's Encyclopedia of American Law. 2005. Retrieved February 13, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3437702605.html |
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lawful
law·ful / ˈlôfəl/ • adj. conforming to, permitted by, or recognized by law or rules: it is an offense to carry a weapon in public without lawful authority. ∎ dated (of a child) born within a lawful marriage. DERIVATIVES: law·ful·ly adv. law·ful·ness n. |
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Cite this article
"lawful." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 13 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "lawful." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 13, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-lawful.html "lawful." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 13, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-lawful.html |
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lawful
lawful •bull, full, Istanbul, pull, push-pull, wool
•Kabul • bagful
•manful, panful
•capful, lapful
•hatful • carful • armful • artful
•wilful (US willful) • sinful • fitful
•eyeful • boxful • potful
•awful, lawful
•woeful • joyful • rueful • useful
•tubful
•jugful, mugful
•cupful • earful • ring pull • lambswool
•schedule • residual
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Cite this article
"lawful." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 13 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "lawful." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 13, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-lawful.html "lawful." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 13, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-lawful.html |
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