a. and sb. [ad. assumed L. type *statūtōrius, f. statuĕre to decree, enact; see STATUTE sb. and -ORY. In later use f. STATUTE sb. + -ORY. Cf. STATUTARY.] A. adj.
† 1. Of a clause, etc.: Enacting. Sc. Obs.
1717. Wodrow, Corr. (1843), II. 331. The statutory part of that act.
1742. Kames, Decis. Crt. Sess. 1730–52 (1799), 56. The statutory clause is in the following words: ‘Statutes and ordains, That [etc.]’.
2. Pertaining to or consisting in statutes; enacted, appointed or created by statute; conformable to the provisions of a statute.
1766. Johnson, in Boswell (1791), I. 277. In the formulary and statutory part of law, a plodding block-head may excel.
1776. Adam Smith, W. N., I. I. ix. 93. All these different statutory regulations.
1808. Toller, Law Tithes, ix. (1816), 236. A defendant in such case may set up a customary payment to protect himself against the claim of the statutory tithes.
1818. Scott, Br. Lamm., xxi. The statutory penalties.
1845. McCulloch, Taxation, III. ii. (1852), 441. The statutory rate of interest … was six per cent.
1863. H. Cox, Instit., I. vi. 33. The prerogative of the Crown … is now subject to statutory and constitutional limitations.
1879. H. Hardcastle, Statutory Law, 141, note. A corporation created by statute for a particular purpose is called a statutory corporation, to distinguish it from a corporation at common law.
1893. Law Times, XCV. 26/1. It is high time that this branch of the law should be thrown into statutory shape.
1911. Act 1 & 2 Geo. V., Sc 16 § 3 (2). It shall be a statutory condition for the receipt of an old age pension by any person, that [etc.].
b. Statutory treason: an offence made treasonable by statute. Statutory declaration: a declaration in accordance with the provisions of the Statutory Declaration Act (1835), which substituted simple affirmations for the oaths or solemn affirmations formerly required on certain occasions.
1804. M. Laing, Hist. Scot., IV. 376–7. The former iniquitous trials in Scotland appeared indisputably to have proceeded from the accumulation of statutory treasons.
1890. F. A. Stringer, Oaths & Affirm., 76. A statutory declaration cannot be filed in the Supreme Court in lieu of an affidavit or affirmation.
3. transf. Obligatory by custom; regular.
1822. Scott, Nigel, vi. The board displayed beef and pudding, the statutory dainties of old England.
B. sb. A member of the ‘statutory’ branch of the Indian Civil Service.
1892. W. Digby, in Pall Mall Gaz., 26 April, 7/1. In 1886 or 1887 it was discovered that the rules were not working well, and the ‘Statutories’ (as the nominees under the Act of 1870 were called) were declared not to be a success.
