Also 5 legalite, 6 legalitee. [ad. (directly or through) F. légalité, med.L. lēgālis, f. L. lēgālis LEGAL.]
1. Attachment to or observance of law or rule.
c. 1460. G. Ashby, Dicta Philos., 1126, Poems 94. A[nd] for trouthe a[nd] noble legalite [L. et propter veritatem et legalitatem].
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Legality, the keeping the Law.
1849. Ruskin, Sev. Lamps, iii. § 3. 65. Much contest between two schools, one affecting originality, and the other legality.
1859. Mill, Liberty, ii. (1865), 29/1. It made an idol of asceticism, which has been gradually compromised away into one of legality.
b. Theol. Insistence on the letter of the law; reliance on works for salvation, rather than on free grace. Also personified.
1678. Bunyan, Pilgr., I. 29. He to whom thou wast sent for ease, being by name Legality.
1771. Fletcher, Checks, Wks. 1795, II. 200. I have heard them cry out against the Legality of their wicked hearts.
c. The spirit or way of thinking characteristic of the legal profession; pl. points of manner or speech indicative of this.
1880. W. Cory, Mod. Eng. Hist., I. 225. Legality delights in the ingenious contrivance of delays.
1893. D. C. Murray, Time’s Revenges, III. xlvii. 268. Their militarisms and legalities made the more … sentimental-minded folk altogether ill at ease.
2. The quality of being legal or in conformity with the law; lawfulness. In early use, Legitimacy.
1533–4. Act 25 Hen. VIII., c. 22 § 1. The right legalitee of the succession.
1637. C. Dow, Innov. Charged upon Ch. & State, Pref. The legality of the bishops exercising their jurisdictions.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., III. xiii. 183. In these, as in all doubtful recreations, be well assured first of the legality of them.
a. 1677. Barrow, Pope’s Suprem. (1680), 340. By signifying their approbation … concerning … the legality of their Ordination.
1792. Sir W. H. Ashurst, in Term Rep., IV. 595. The expences of litigating the legality of the fine.
1838. Thirlwall, Greece, III. 339. The legality of their conduct had been virtually recognised by the Eleans.
1863. H. Cox, Instit., I. ix. 213. To try the legality of the proceedings … against him.
1871. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), IV. xvii. 54. It was the master-piece of William’s policy of outward legality.
3. pl. Obligations imposed by law.
1855. Cornwall, 243. Mines not so conducted are established under the provision of the joint-stock act, and shareholders in them become liable to its legalities.
4. slang. The name of a gambling game.
1888. Pall Mall Gaz., 30 May, 2/2. Betting on the tape is quite a tame affair in comparison to ‘legality.’… At the ‘legality’ table I saw a person, whom I [etc.].
