Personal action

Personal \Per"son*al\ (p[~e]r"s[u^]n*al), a. [L. personalis: cf.
   F. personnel.]
   1. Pertaining to human beings as distinct from things.
      [1913 Webster]

            Every man so termed by way of personal difference.
                                                  --Hooker.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Of or pertaining to a particular person; relating to, or
      affecting, an individual, or each of many individuals;
      peculiar or proper to private concerns; not public or
      general; as, personal comfort; personal desire.
      [1913 Webster]

            The words are conditional, -- If thou doest well, --
            and so personal to Cain.              --Locke.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. Pertaining to the external or bodily appearance;
      corporeal; as, personal charms. --Addison.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. Done in person; without the intervention of another.
      "Personal communication." --Fabyan.
      [1913 Webster]

            The immediate and personal speaking of God. --White.
      [1913 Webster]

   5. Relating to an individual, his character, conduct,
      motives, or private affairs, in an invidious and offensive
      manner; as, personal reflections or remarks.
      [1913 Webster]

   6. (Gram.) Denoting person; as, a personal pronoun.
      [1913 Webster]

   {Personal action} (Law), a suit or action by which a man
      claims a debt or personal duty, or damages in lieu of it;
      or wherein he claims satisfaction in damages for an injury
      to his person or property, or the specific recovery of
      goods or chattels; -- opposed to real action.

   {Personal equation}. (Astron.) See under {Equation}.

   {Personal estate} or {Personal property} (Law), movables;
      chattels; -- opposed to {real estate} or {real property}.
      It usually consists of things temporary and movable,
      including all subjects of property not of a freehold
      nature.

   {Personal identity} (Metaph.), the persistent and continuous
      unity of the individual person, which is attested by
      consciousness.

   {Personal pronoun} (Gram.), one of the pronouns {I}, {thou},
      {he}, {she}, {it}, and their plurals.

   {Personal representatives} (Law), the executors or
      administrators of a person deceased.

   {Personal rights}, rights appertaining to the person; as, the
      rights of a personal security, personal liberty, and
      private property.

   {Personal tithes}. See under {Tithe}.

   {Personal verb} (Gram.), a verb which is modified or
      inflected to correspond with the three persons.
      [1913 Webster]
    

PERSONAL ACTIONS. Personal actions are those brought for the specific goods 
and chattels; or for damages or other redress for breach of contract or for 
injuries of every other description; the specific recovery of lands, 
tenements and hereditaments only excepted. Vide Actions, and 1 Com. Dig. 
206, 450; 1 Vin. Ab. 197; 3 Bouv. Inst. n. 2641, et. seq.