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feu (fyoo), n.[fr. Law Latin feudum “a fee”] 1. A right to land given to a person in exchange for service to be performed. 2.Scots law. Land held by a vassal in return for an annual payment in money, crops, or services (called feu duty). • This type of tenure was abolished in Scotland in…

fettering of property.The act of making the disposition or ownership of property more complex so that those with separate interests must cooperate if they are to handle their interests reasonably. • Fettering of property occurs whenever ownership is split into two or more interests, as when present and future interests are divided or when a…

fetter,n. (usu. pl.) A chain or shackle for the feet. — fetter,vb.[Blacks Law 8th]

feticide (fee-t<<schwa>>-sId).1. The act or an instance of killing a fetus, usu. by assaulting and battering the mother; esp., the act of unlawfully causing the death of a fetus. 2. An intentionally induced miscarriage. — Also spelled foeticide. — Also termed child destruction. Cf. INFANTICIDE (1). — feticidal,adj.[Blacks Law 8th]

fetus. A developing but unborn mammal, esp. in the latter stages of development. — Also spelled foetus. Cf. EMBRYO; ZYGOTE.[Blacks Law 8th]

festum (fes-t<<schwa>>m). [Latin] A feast-day, holiday, or festival. FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME fetal alcohol syndrome.A variety of birth defects caused by the mother’s alcohol consumption during pregnancy. • The birth defects include facial abnormalities, mental retardation, and growth deficiencies. — Abbr. FAS.[Blacks Law 8th]

festuca (fes-tyoo-k<<schwa>>).Hist. A rod, staff, or stick used as a pledge (or gage) of good faith by a party to a contract or as a token of conveyance of land. • In Roman law, a festuca was a symbol of ownership. — Also termed fistuca; vindicta. See LIVERY OF SEISIN. “The wed or gage, however,…

Festo doctrine.Patents. The rule that the voluntary narrowing of a patent claim may give rise to prosecution-history estoppel. Festo Corp. v. Shoketsu Kinzoku Kogyo Kabushiki Co., 304 F.3d 1289 (Fed. Cir. 2003). [Cases: Patents 168(2.2). C.J.S. Patents § 297.][Blacks Law 8th]

festinum remedium (fes-tI-n<<schwa>>m ri-mee-dee-<<schwa>>m). [Latin] Hist. A speedy remedy. • It was used in cases, such as actions for dower or assize, where the redress of injury was given without unnecessary delay.[Blacks Law 8th]

festing-man.Hist. A bondsman; a surety. See FRANKPLEDGE.[Blacks Law 8th]