法律英语词典.pdf

DICTIONARY OFLAWFOURTH EDITIONAlso published by Bloomsbury Reference:Specialist dictionaries:Dictionary of Accounting0 7475 6991 6Dictionary of Banking and Finance0 7475 6685 2Dictionary of Business0 7475 6980 0Dictionary of Computing0 7475 6622 4Dictionary of Economics0 7475 6632 1Dictionary of Environment and Ecology0 7475 7201 1Dictionary of Hotels,Tourism and Catering Management1 9016 5999 2Dictionary of Human Resources and Personnel Management0 7475 6623 2Dictionary of ICT0 7475 6990 8Dictionary of Marketing0 7475 6621 6Dictionary of Medical Terms0 7475 6987 8Dictionary of Military Terms0 7475 7477 4Dictionary of Nursing0 7475 6634 8Dictionary of Politics and Government0 7475 7220 8Dictionary of Science and Technology0 7475 6620 8Easier English titles:Easier English Basic Dictionary0 7475 6644 5Easier English Basic Synonyms0 7475 6979 7Easier English Dictionary:Handy Pocket Edition0 7475 6625 9Easier English Intermediate Dictionary0 7475 6989 4Easier English Student Dictionary0 7475 6624 0English Study Dictionary1 9016 5963 1English Thesaurus for Students1 9016 5931 3Check Your English Vocabulary workbooks:Business0 7475 6626 7Computing1 9016 5928 3Law1 9016 5921 6PET0 7475 6627 5IELTS0 7475 6982 7FCE+0 7475 6981 9TOEFL0 7475 6984 3Visit our website for full details of all our OFLAWFOURTH EDITIONP.H.CollinA BLOOMSBURY REFERENCE BOOK published by Peter Collin Publishingas English Law DictionaryFirst published 1986Second edition published 1992Third edition published 2000,2001Fourth edition published 2004Bloomsbury Publishing Plc38 Soho Square,London W1D 3HBCopyright P.H.Collin 1986,1992,2000This edition copyright Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 2004All rights reserved.No part of this publication maybe reproduced in any form or by any means without theprior written permission of the publishers.British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication DataA catalogue record for this book is available from the British LibraryISBN 0 7475 6636 4 eISBN-13:978-1-4081-0211-4Text Production and ProofreadingKaty McAdam,Heather Bateman,Emma HarrisAll papers used by Bloomsbury Publishing are natural,recyclableproducts made from wood grown in well-managed forests.The manufacturing processes conform to theenvironmental regulations of the country of origin.Text processing and computer typesetting by BloomsburyPrinted and bound in Italy by LegoprintPrefaceThis dictionary provides the user with the main vocabulary currentlybeing used in British and American law.The areas covered includecriminal,civil,commercial and international law,as well as interactionswith the police and legal advisers,and the procedures of the courts andprisons.Common words used in reading or writing reports,articles orguidelines are also included.The dictionary is designed for anyone who needs to check the meaning orpronunciation of legal terms,but especially for those who need someknowledge of legal terms in their work but who may not be legalprofessionals,or for those for whom English is an additional language.Each headword is explained in a clear,straightforward way.Pronunciations,uncommon plurals and uncommon verb forms areprovided.Many people have helped or advised on the compilation and checking ofthe dictionary in its various editions.In particular,thanks are due to CoralHill,Senior Lecturer at the College of Law of England and Wales,for herhelpful comments and advice on this fourth edition.PronunciationThe following symbols have been used to show the pronunciation of the mainwords in the dictionary.Stress is indicated by a main stress mark(?)and a secondary stress mark(?).Note that these are only guides,as the stress of the word changes according to itsposition in the sentence.VowelsConsonants?backbbuck?harmddeadstopotheratyped?jumpahowffareahire?goldahourhhead?coursejyellowannoykcabeheadlleaveefairmmixemakennilegosing?wordpprinti?keeprrestihappyssaveaboutshopfitttakeneartchangeuannualtheftu?poolvvaluebookwworktourxlochshut?measurezzoneAA.B.A.A.B.A.abbreviation US American BarAssociationabandonabandon/|?b?ndn/verb 1.to stopdoing something?The company has de-cided to abandon the project.?We haveabandoned the idea of taking the familyto court.?to abandon an action to stoppursuing a legal action?to abandon alegal right or claim to accept that a rightor claim cannot be legally enforced 2.toleave someone or something withouthelp?He abandoned his family andwent abroad.?The crew had to abandonthe sinking ship.abandonmentabandonment/|?b?ndnmnt/noun 1.the act of giving something upvoluntarily such as the right to a property2.the act of giving up either the whole orpart of a claim put forward during civillitigation 3.the act of a parent or guardi-an leaving a child on their own in cir-cumstances covered by the Children andYoung Persons Act 1933abateabate/|?bet/verb 1.to remove or stopa nuisance 2.to reduce a legacy 3.to bereduced 4.(of a legacy)to be reducedbecause there is not enough money in theestate to pay it in fullabatementabatement/|?betmnt/noun 1.thelegal right to remove or stop a nuisanceonce a reasonable period of notice hasbeen given to the wrongdoer 2.the re-duction of a legacy when the deceasedperson has not left enough money to payit in full 3.the reduction or removal of adebt when a person has failed to leaveenough money to cover a legacy in full.?tax abatementABCABC abbreviation Acceptable Behav-iour Contractabductabduct/?b|?d?kt/verb to take some-one away against their will,usually byforce?The bank manager was abductedat gunpoint.?The robbers abducted theheiress and held her to ransom.COMMENT:The Child Abduction Act1984 provides for specific offences tocover the abduction of a child either bya person connected with the child orby other persons.Abduction of anadult may result in prosecutions forkidnapping and/or false imprisonment.abductionabduction/?b|?d?kn/noun the no-tifiable offence of taking someone awayagainst their will,usually by forceabductorabductor/?b|?d?kt/noun a personwho takes someone away against theirwillabeyanceabeyance/|?bens/noun 1.?inabeyance not being used or enforced atpresent?This law is in abeyance.?tofall into abeyance to stop being used orenforced?The practice was common buthas fallen into abeyance.2.a situationwhere there is no owner of a piece oflandABHABH abbreviation actual bodily harmabide byabide by/|?bad ba/verb to accept arule or follow a custom?He promised toabide by the decision of the court.?Shedid not abide by the terms of the agree-ment.?to abide by a promise to carryout a promise that has been madeab initioab initio/?b|?ni/phrase a Latinphrase meaning from the beginningabjurationabjuration/?bd?|?re()n/nounthe act of taking back a statement madeon oathabjureabjure/b|?d?/verb 1.to make apublic promise not to do something 2.US to swear not to bear allegiance to an-other countryabodeabode/|?bd/noun the place wheresomeone lives.?right of abode?of nofixed abode with no permanent addressLaw.fm Page 1 Friday,June 11,2004 2:08 PMabolish2abolishabolish/|?bl/verb to cancel or re-move something such as a law or rule?The Chancellor of the Exchequer refusedto ask Parliament to abolish the tax onalcohol.?The Senate voted to abolishthe death penalty.abolitionabolition/?b|?l()n/noun the actof abolishing something?campaigningfor the abolition of the death penaltyabortionabortion/|?b?()n/noun the endingof a pregnancy before its natural term(NOTE:Illegal abortion is a notifiable of-fence.)abrogateabrogate/?br?et/verb to endsomething such as a law or treatyabrogationabrogation/?br|?e()n/noun anact of ending something such as a law ortreatyabscondabscond/b|?sknd/verb 1.to leavesomewhere suddenly and without per-mission?He was charged with abscond-ing from lawful custody.2.not to returnto the court after being released on bail 3.to escape from prisonabsentabsent/?bsnt/adjective not presentwhen you expected to be at somethingsuch as a meeting or hearing,or yourplace of workabsenteeabsentee/?bsn|?ti?/noun a personwho is not present at something such ascourt proceedings even though they areexpected to be thereabsolute dischargeabsolute discharge/?bslu?t?dst?d?/noun the release of a con-victed person without any punishmentabsolute majorityabsolute majority/?bslu?t m|?d?rti/noun a majority over all theothers counted togetherabsolute monopolyabsolute monopoly/?bslu?t m|?npli/noun a situation where only oneproducer or supplier produces or sup-plies somethingabsolute privilegeabsolute privilege/?bslu?t?prvld?/noun a rule which protects aperson from being sued for defamationin specific circumstances such as when ajudge or lawyer makes a statement dur-ing judicial proceedings,or when an MPspeaks in the House of Commonsabsolute rightabsolute right/?bslu?t?rat/nounin the European Convention on HumanRights,a right that under no circum-stances may legally be interfered with(NOTE:Examples are the freedoms ofthought,conscience,and religion andthe prohibitions on torture.)absolute titleabsolute title/?bslu?t?tat()l/noun land registered with the Land Reg-istry,where the owner has a guaranteedtitle to the land(NOTE:Absolute title alsoexists to leasehold land,giving the pro-prietor a guaranteed valid lease.)absolutismabsolutism/?bslu?|?tz()m/nounthe political theory that any legitimategovernment should have absolute powerabsolutistabsolutist/?bs|?lu?tst/adjective 1.believing in absolutism 2.referring to apolitical system where the governmenthas absolute power?noun a person whobelieves in absolutismabstainabstain/b|?sten/verb to refrain fromdoing something,especially votingabstentionabstention/b|?stenn/noun 1.theact of refraining from doing something,especially voting?The motion was car-ried by 200 votes to 150,with 60 absten-tions.2.US a situation where a federalcourt may refuse to hear a case and pass-es it to a state court which then becomescompetent to decide on the federal con-stitutional issues raisedabstractabstract/?bstr?kt/noun a shortsummary of a report or document?tomake an abstract of the deeds of a prop-erty?verb to make a summaryabstract of titleabstract of title/?b|?str?kt v?tat()l/noun a summary of the detailsof the ownership of a property which hasnot been registeredabuseabuse noun/|?bju?s/1.the use ofsomething in a way in which it was notintended to be used 2.rude or insultinglanguage?The prisoner shouted abuseat the judge.3.very bad treatment of aperson,usually physical or sexual?childabuse?sexual abuse of children 4.aharmful or illegal practice?verb/|?bju?z/1.to use something wrongly?toabuse ones authority to use authorityin an illegal or harmful way 2.to sayrude words about someone?He abusedthe police before being taken to the cells.3.to treat someone very badly,usuallyphysically or sexually?He had abusedsmall children.Law.fm Page 2 Friday,June 11,2004 2:08 PM3accompliceabuse of powerabuse of power/|?bju?s v?pa/noun the use of legal powers in an illegalor harmful wayabuse of processabuse of process/|?bju?z v pr|?ses/noun the use of a legal processwithout proper justification or for mali-cious reasonsabutabut/|?b?t/,abut on/|?b?t n/verb(of a piece of land)to touch anotherproperty(NOTE:abutting abutted)abuttalabuttal/|?b?t()l/noun the boundariesof a piece of land in relation to land thatis adjoiningACASACAS/?ek?s/abbreviation AdvisoryConciliation and Arbitration ServiceACCACC abbreviation Assistant Chief Con-stableacceptableacceptable/k|?septb()l/adjectivegood enough to be accepted,althoughnot particularly good?The offer is notacceptable to both parties.Acceptable Behaviour ContractAcceptable Behaviour Contract/k|?septb()l b|?hevj?kntr?kt/noun a formal written agreement in writ-ten form made between an individual andeither parent or guardian or another partythat the individual will not act in an anti-social manner in future.AbbreviationABC.?Antisocial Behaviour Order(NOTE:ABCs normally last for a periodof 6 months.)acceptanceacceptance/k|?septns/noun 1.oneof the main conditions of a contract,where one party agrees to what is pro-posed by the other party?acceptance ofan offer an agreement to accept an offerand therefore to enter into a contract 2.the act of signing a bill of exchange toshow that you agree to pay itacceptoracceptor/k|?sept/,accepter nounsomebody who accepts an offeraccessaccess/?kses/noun 1.the right ofthe owner of a piece of land to use a pub-lic road which is next to the land?Hecomplained that he was being denied ac-cess to the main road.2.?to have accessto something to be able to obtain orreach something?to gain access tosomething to reach or to get hold ofsomething?Access to the courts shouldbe open to all citizens.?The burglargained access through the window.3.theright of a child to see a parent regularly,or of a parent or grandparent to see achild regularly,where the child is in thecare of someone else 4.?right of accessto a solicitor in the EU,the right of any-one who is in police custody to see a so-licitor in private to ask adviceaccessionaccession/k|?se()n/noun 1.theact of becoming a member of somethingby signing a formal agreement 2.the actof taking up an official position?acces-sion to the throne becoming King orQueenaccess orderaccess order/?kses?d/nounformerly,a court order allowing a parentto see a child where the child is in thecare of someone else,such as the otherparent in the case of a divorced couple(NOTE:Access orders have been re-placed by contact orders.)accessoryaccessory/k|?sesri/noun a personwho helps or advises someone who com-mits a crime?accessory after the factformerly,a person who helps a criminalafter a crime had been committed?ac-cessory before the fact a person whohelps a criminal before a crime is com-mittedaccidentaccident/?ksd()nt/noun some-thing unpleasant which happens sudden-ly,often as the result of a mistake,suchas the crash of a vehicle or plane or otherevent resulting in injury or death or dam-age to somethingaccidentalaccidental/?ks|?dent()l/adjectivehappening as an accident,or without be-ing planned?a case of accidental deathaccident insuranceaccident insurance/?ksd()nt n|?rns/noun insurance which paysmoney if an accident takes placeaccident policyaccident policy/?ksd()nt?plsi/noun an insurance policy which paysmoney if an accident takes placeaccommodationaccommodation/|?km|?de()n/noun a place to live or somewhere to stayfor a short time(NOTE:In British English,accommodation has no plural.)accommodation addressaccommodation address/|?km|?de()n|?dres/noun an address usedfor receiving messages that is not the ad-dress of the companys officesaccompliceaccomplice/|?k?mpls/noun some-body who helps another to commit aLaw.fm Page 3 Friday,June 11,2004 2:08 PMaccordance4crime or who commits a crime with an-other personaccordanceaccordance/|?k?d()ns/noun?inaccordance with in a way that agreeswith something that has been suggestedor decided?In accordance with your in-structions we have deposited the moneyin your current account.?I am submit-ting the claim for damages in accord-ance with the advice of our legal advis-ers.accord and satisfactionaccord and satisfaction/|?k?d ns?ts|?f?kn/noun 1.the