Petit treason

Petit treason
Petit Pet"it, a. [F. See {Petty}.] Small; little; insignificant; mean; -- Same as {Petty}. [Obs., except in legal language.] [1913 Webster]

By what small, petit hints does the mind catch hold of and recover a vanishing notion. --South. [1913 Webster]

{Petit constable}, an inferior civil officer, subordinate to the high constable.

{Petit jury}, a jury of twelve men, impaneled to try causes at the bar of a court; -- so called in distinction from the grand jury.

{Petit larceny}, the stealing of goods of, or under, a certain specified small value; -- opposed to grand larceny. The distinction is abolished in England.

{Petit ma[^i]tre}. [F., lit., little master.] A fop; a coxcomb; a ladies' man. --Goldsmith.

{Petit serjeanty} (Eng. Law), the tenure of lands of the crown, by the service of rendering annually some implement of war, as a bow, an arrow, a sword, a flag, etc.

{Petit treason}, formerly, in England, the crime of killing a person to whom the offender owed duty or subjection, as one's husband, master, mistress, etc. The crime is now not distinguished from murder. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Petit treason — Treason Trea son, n. [OE. tresun, treisun, traisoun, OF. tra[ i]son, F. trahison, L. traditio a giving up, a delivering up, fr. tradere to give up, betray. See {Traitor}, and cf. {Tradition}.] 1. The offense of attempting to overthrow the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • petit treason — The killing of a husband by a wife; of a lord or master by a servant; of his lord or ordinary by an ecclesiastic. These were called petit treason because they were breaches of the lower allegiance of private and domestic faith. See 4 Bl Comm 75 …   Ballentine's law dictionary

  • petit treason — ˈped.]ē, ˈpet], ]i noun Etymology: alteration (influenced by petit) of petty treason English law : the crime committed by a servant in killing his master, by a wife in killing her husband, or by an ecclesiastic in killing his superior * * * /pet… …   Useful english dictionary

  • petit treason — /pet ee/, Eng. Law. the killing of a husband by his wife, of a lord by his servant, or of an ecclesiastic by a subordinate ecclesiastic. Also, petty treason. [1490 1500; < AF] * * * …   Universalium

  • Treason — Trea son, n. [OE. tresun, treisun, traisoun, OF. tra[ i]son, F. trahison, L. traditio a giving up, a delivering up, fr. tradere to give up, betray. See {Traitor}, and cf. {Tradition}.] 1. The offense of attempting to overthrow the government of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • treason — (n.) early 13c., from Anglo Fr. treson, from O.Fr. traison (11c.; Mod.Fr. trahison), from L. traditionem (nom. traditio) a handing over, delivery, surrender (see TRADITION (Cf. tradition)). Old French form influenced by the verb trair betray. In… …   Etymology dictionary

  • Petit — Pet it, a. [F. See {Petty}.] Small; little; insignificant; mean; Same as {Petty}. [Obs., except in legal language.] [1913 Webster] By what small, petit hints does the mind catch hold of and recover a vanishing notion. South. [1913 Webster] {Petit …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Petit constable — Petit Pet it, a. [F. See {Petty}.] Small; little; insignificant; mean; Same as {Petty}. [Obs., except in legal language.] [1913 Webster] By what small, petit hints does the mind catch hold of and recover a vanishing notion. South. [1913 Webster]… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Petit jury — Petit Pet it, a. [F. See {Petty}.] Small; little; insignificant; mean; Same as {Petty}. [Obs., except in legal language.] [1913 Webster] By what small, petit hints does the mind catch hold of and recover a vanishing notion. South. [1913 Webster]… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Petit larceny — Petit Pet it, a. [F. See {Petty}.] Small; little; insignificant; mean; Same as {Petty}. [Obs., except in legal language.] [1913 Webster] By what small, petit hints does the mind catch hold of and recover a vanishing notion. South. [1913 Webster]… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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