Admiralty

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Admiralty \Ad"mi*ral*ty\, n.; pl. {Admiralties}. [F.
     amiraut['e], for an older amiralt['e], office of admiral, fr.
     LL. admiralitas. See {Admiral}.]
     1. The office or jurisdiction of an admiral. --Prescott.
        [1913 Webster]
  


     2. The department or officers having authority over naval
        affairs generally.
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     3. The court which has jurisdiction of maritime questions and
        offenses.
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     Note: In England, admiralty jurisdiction was formerly vested
           in the High Court of Admiralty, which was held before
           the Lord High Admiral, or his deputy, styled the Judge
           of the Admiralty; but admiralty jurisdiction is now
           vested in the probate, divorce, and admiralty division
           of the High Justice. In America, there are no admiralty
           courts distinct from others, but admiralty jurisdiction
           is vested in the district courts of the United States,
           subject to revision by the circuit courts and the
           Supreme Court of the United States. Admiralty
           jurisprudence has cognizance of maritime contracts and
           torts, collisions at sea, cases of prize in war, etc.,
           and in America, admiralty jurisdiction is extended to
           such matters, arising out of the navigation of any of
           the public waters, as the Great Lakes and rivers.
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     4. The system of jurisprudence of admiralty courts.
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     5. The building in which the lords of the admiralty, in
        England, transact business.
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From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  admiralty
       n 1: the department in charge of the navy (as in Great Britain)
       2: the office of admiral