legality
(lɪˈgælɪtɪ)
Also 5 legalite, 6 legalitee.
[ad. (directly or through) F. légalité, med.L. lēgālis, f. L. lēgālis legal.]
1. Attachment to or observance of law or rule.
| c 1460 G. Ashby Dicta Philos. 1126 Poems 94 A[nd] for trouthe a[nd] noble legalite [L. et propter veritatem et legalitatem]. 1656 Blount Glossogr., Legality, the keeping the Law. 1849 Ruskin Sev. Lamps iii. §3. 65 Much contest between two schools, one affecting originality, and the other legality. 1859 Mill Liberty ii. (1865) 29/1 It made an idol of asceticism, which has been gradually compromised away into one of legality. |
b. Theol. Insistence on the letter of the law; reliance on works for salvation, rather than on free grace. Also personified.
| 1678 Bunyan Pilgr. i. 29 He to whom thou wast sent for ease, being by name Legality. 1771 Fletcher Checks Wks. 1795 II. 200, I have heard them cry out against the Legality of their wicked hearts. |
c. The spirit or way of thinking characteristic of the legal profession; pl. points of manner or speech indicative of this.
| 1880 W. Cory Mod. Eng. Hist. i. 225 Legality delights in the ingenious contrivance of delays. 1893 D. C. Murray Time's Revenges III. xlvii. 268 Their militarisms and legalities made the more..sentimental-minded folk altogether ill at ease. |
2. The quality of being legal or in conformity with the law; lawfulness. In early use, Legitimacy.
| 1533–4 Act 25 Hen. VIII, c. 22 §1 The right legalitee of the succession. 1637 C. Dow Innov. Charged upon Ch. & State Pref., The legality of the bishops exercising their jurisdictions. 1642 Fuller Holy & Prof. St. iii. xiii. 183 In these, as in all doubtful recreations, be well assured first of the legality of them. a 1677 Barrow Pope's Suprem. (1680) 340 By signifying their approbation..concerning..the legality of their Ordination. 1792 Sir W. H. Ashurst in Term Rep. IV. 595 The expences of litigating the legality of the fine. 1838 Thirlwall Greece III. 339 The legality of their conduct had been virtually recognised by the Eleans. 1863 H. Cox Instit. i. ix. 213 To try the legality of the proceedings..against him. 1871 Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) IV. xvii. 54 It was the master-piece of William's policy of outward legality. |
3. pl. Obligations imposed by law.
| 1855 Cornwall 243 Mines not so conducted are established under the provision of the joint-stock act, and shareholders in them become liable to its legalities. |
4. slang. The name of a gambling game.
| 1888 Pall Mall G. 30 May 2/2 Betting on the tape is quite a tame affair in comparison to ‘legality’..At the ‘legality’ table I saw a person, whom I [etc.]. |