Law Dictionary Definitions

  Glass–Steagall Act.A federal statute that protects bank depositors by restricting the securities-related business of commercial banks, specif. by prohibiting banks from owning brokerage firms or engaging in the brokerage business. 12 USCA § 378. — Also termed Banking Act of 1933. [Blacks Law 8th]

glass ceiling.An actual or supposed upper limit of professional advancement, esp. for women, as a result of discriminatory practices. [Cases: Civil Rights 1164. C.J.S. Civil Rights §§ 35, 88.] [Blacks Law 8th]

glamour stock.See STOCK. [Blacks Law 8th]

glaive (glayv).Hist. A sword, lance, or horseman’s staff. • The glaive was one of the weapons allowed in a trial by combat. [Blacks Law 8th]

gladius (glay-dee-<<schwa>>s), n. [Latin “sword”] Roman law. The emblem of the emperor’s power, esp. the power to punish criminals. See JUS GLADII. [Blacks Law 8th]

giving in payment.Civil law. The act of discharging a debt by giving something to the creditor (with the creditor’s consent) other than what was originally called for. La. Civ. Code art. • The phrase is a translation of the French dation en paiement and derives from the Roman datio in solutum. See DATION EN PAIEMENT.…

give way,vb. Maritime law. (Of a vessel) to deviate from a course, or to slow down, in accordance with navigation rules, so that a second vessel may pass without altering its course. [Cases: Collision 29, 37. C.J.S. Collision §§ 4, 41, 43.] [Blacks Law 8th]

given name.See NAME. [Blacks Law 8th]

give, devise, and bequeath,vb. To transfer property by will <I give, devise, and bequeath all the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate to my beloved daughter Sarah>. • This wording has long been criticized as redundant. In modern usage, give ordinarily suffices. See BEQUEST. [Blacks Law 8th]

give color,vb. Hist. To admit, either expressly or impliedly by silence, that an opponent’s allegations appear to be meritorious. • In common-law pleading, a defendant’s plea of confession and avoidance had to give color to the plaintiff’s allegations in the complaint or the plea would be fatally defective. See COLOR(2). [Blacks Law 8th]