Privileged witnesses

Privileged \Priv"i*leged\, a.
   Invested with a privilege; enjoying a peculiar right,
   advantage, or immunity.
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   {Privileged communication}. (Law)
   (a) A communication which can not be disclosed without the
       consent of the party making it, -- such as those made by
       a client to his legal adviser, or by persons to their
       religious or medical advisers.
   (b) A communication which does not expose the party making it
       to indictment for libel, -- such as those made by persons
       communicating confidentially with a government, persons
       consulted confidentially as to the character of servants,
       etc.

   {Privileged debts} (Law), those to which a preference in
      payment is given out of the estate of a deceased person,
      or out of the estate of an insolvent. --Wharton.
      --Burrill.

   {Privileged witnesses} (Law) witnesses who are not obliged to
      testify as to certain things, as lawyers in relation to
      their dealings with their clients, and officers of state
      as to state secrets; also, by statute, clergymen and
      physicans are placed in the same category, so far as
      concerns information received by them professionally.
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Witness \Wit"ness\, n. [AS. witness, gewitnes, from witan to
   know. [root]133. See {Wit}, v. i.]
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   1. Attestation of a fact or an event; testimony.
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            May we with . . . the witness of a good conscience,
            pursue him with any further revenge?  --Shak.
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            If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.
                                                  --John v. 31.
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   2. That which furnishes evidence or proof.
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            Laban said to Jacob, . . . This heap be witness, and
            this pillar be witness.               --Gen. xxxi.
                                                  51, 52.
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   3. One who is cognizant; a person who beholds, or otherwise
      has personal knowledge of, anything; as, an eyewitness; an
      earwitness. "Thyself art witness I am betrothed." --Shak.
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            Upon my looking round, I was witness to appearances
            which filled me with melancholy and regret. --R.
                                                  Hall.
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   4. (Law)
      (a) One who testifies in a cause, or gives evidence before
          a judicial tribunal; as, the witness in court agreed
          in all essential facts.
      (b) One who sees the execution of an instrument, and
          subscribes it for the purpose of confirming its
          authenticity by his testimony; one who witnesses a
          will, a deed, a marriage, or the like.
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   {Privileged witnesses}. (Law) See under {Privileged}.

   {With a witness}, effectually; to a great degree; with great
      force, so as to leave some mark as a testimony. [Colloq.]
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            This, I confess, is haste with a witness. --South.
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