purpresture

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   law: a wrongful enclosure, occupation, or appropriation of land subject to public or common rights

   The forest court treated the unlawful fence across the common track as a purpresture.

From Middle English purpresture and Anglo-French purpresture, an alteration of Old French porpresure, 'enclosure or occupied space.' That noun comes from porprendre, 'to seize, occupy, or enclose,' based on por- plus prendre, 'to take,' ultimately from Latin prehendere.

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