[f. FINE v. + -ABLE.] Liable or subject to a fine.
1. Of a person, also of an offence: Liable to be punished by a fine.
1485. Act 1 Hen. VII., c. 7. The said Offences of Huntings … [shall] be … but Trespass finable.
1592. in Vicary’s Anat. (1888), App. xv. 276. All suche aliantes and straungers beinge founde withe a faulte by the saide searchers in the saide arte, shall be fyneable.
1647. N. Bacon, Discourse of the Laws & Government of England, I. lxix. (1682), 180. Before this Law, this crime [rape] was but finable, unless the fact was committed upon a Virgin, for then the member was lost.
1761. Hume, Hist. Eng., I. App. i. 100. If any of them, after renouncing him, receive him into their house, or give him assistance, they are finable to the king, and are involved in the feud.
1860. Wynter, Curios. Civiliz., 503. The Legislature should make it a fineable offence to work a dry stone without a fan.
2. Of a tenure: Subject to the payment of a fine on renewal. Of a tenant: Liable to pay such a fine. Also of a writ: On which a fine or fee has to be paid.
c. 1600. Norden, Spec. Brit., Cornw. (1728), 25. Their tenure is Ad voluntatem Domini, and at euery taking finable at the Lordes pleasure, and heriotable.
1611. Cotgr., Questable, finable, taxable, as some tenants are at the pleasure of their Lords.
1641. Termes de la Ley, 84 b. Some Copyhold is fineable and some certain. That which is fineable, the Lord rateth at what fine he pleaseth.
1646. Grant, in Ld. Campbell, Chancellors (1857), III. lxvii. 308. A grant was made … of all such part of fineable writs to be answered by the Cursitors as former Lord Keepers have had.
Hence Finableness.
1727. Bailey, vol. II., Finableness, liableness to be fined, or to pay a Fine or Amercement.
