Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A legal right.
  • noun Something to which one has legal right.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In old law, right, especially a right in land: right of ownership.
  • noun In finance, duty; custom.
  • noun Right of stoppage in transitu.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A right; law in its aspect of the foundation of rights; also, in old law, the writ of right.
  • noun See under Aubaine.
  • noun (Eng. Law) rights or perquisites of the Admiralty, arising from seizure of an enemy's ships in port on the breaking out of war, or those coming into port in ignorance of hostilities existing, or from such ships as are taken by noncommissioned captors; also, the proceeds of wrecks, and derelict property at sea. The droits of admiralty are now paid into the Exchequer for the public benefit.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, a fee allowed by law, from Old French, right, from Late Latin dīrēctum, from neuter of Latin dīrēctus, straight; see direct.]

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Examples

  • And I'm sorry, American Legal System, but I believe in droit d'auteur.

    Gigging for Groats Hal Duncan 2010

  • And I'm sorry, American Legal System, but I believe in droit d'auteur.

    Archive 2010-02-01 Hal Duncan 2010

  • This characterization is indubitably incisive, but it fails to take account of the fact that the expression droit divin des rois (divine right of kings) is, as Jean Mesnard has demonstrated, nowhere to be found in Bossuet's work.

    Louis XIV's Secret Wife 2010

  • This characterization is indubitably incisive, but it fails to take account of the fact that the expression droit divin des rois (divine right of kings) is, as Jean Mesnard has demonstrated, nowhere to be found in Bossuet's work.

    Louis XIV's Secret Wife 2010

  • Dozens of countries already have a version of a resale royalties law, generally referred to by the French phrase droit de suite.

    NYT > Home Page By PATRICIA COHEN 2011

  • In Europe, the laws are typically referred to as droit de suite , a French phrase for artist's rights.

    Artists Sue Auction Houses Kelly Crow 2011

  • Many scholars claim that there was no such law, called droit de seigneur or jus primae noctis, passed at any time in the Middle Ages.

    Jus Prima Noctis elena maria vidal 2009

  • Many scholars claim that there was no such law, called droit de seigneur or jus primae noctis, passed at any time in the Middle Ages.

    Archive 2009-07-01 elena maria vidal 2009

  • You know, the French have something called droit morale, where you can't buy a book as if it were a sack of sugar, and take possession of it.

    Seema Kalia: My Favorite Mistake: Erica Jong On Suing Hollywood 2008

  • Ayant une de c charmante bebete au coin droit de la levre inferieure je passe ma vie a le manger manger manger croker devisser lecher manger rouler ... avaler aussi ca m'est arrivé une seule et unique fois!

    pinku-tk Diary Entry pinku-tk 2006

Comments

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  • as in adroit

    January 10, 2009