PRAEMUNIRE
Etymology
Noun
praemunire (plural praemunires)
(legal, now, historical) The offence in English law of bringing suit in or obeying a foreign (especially papal) court or authority, thus challenging the supremacy of the Crown. The offence was created by the Statute of Praemunire 1393 (16 Richard II, chapter 5), and abolished by the Criminal Law Act 1967 (chapter 58).
The writ charging a person with this offence, the writ of praemunire facias.
(in extended use) Any of a number of criminal offences incurring similar penalties to the original offence of praemunire.
(figurative) Crime, offence, wrongdoing.
The penalty for this offence.
(figurative) A difficulty or predicament.
Verb
praemunire (third-person singular simple present praemunires, present participle praemuniring, simple past and past participle praemunired)
(law, historical) To charge with the offence of praemunire; to subject to the penalties of praemunire.
Source: Wiktionary
Præm`u*ni"re, n. Etym: [Corrupted from L. praemonere to forewarn, cite. See Admonish.] (Eng. Law) (a) The offense of introducing foreign authority into England, the penalties for which were originally intended to depress the civil power of the pope in the kingdom. (b) The writ grounded on that offense. Wharton. (c) The penalty ascribed for the offense of præmunire. Wolsey incurred a præmunire, and forfeited his honor, estate, and life. South.
Note: The penalties of præmunire were subsequently applied to many other offenses; but prosecutions upon a præmunire are at this day unheard of in the English courts. Blackstone.
Præm`u*ni"re, v. t.
1. The subject to the penalties of præmunire. [Obs.] T. Ward.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
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Word of the Day
31 March 2025
IMPROVISED
(adjective) done or made using whatever is available; “crossed the river on improvised bridges”; “the survivors used jury-rigged fishing gear”; “the rock served as a makeshift hammer”
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