body of a law

Body \Bod"y\, n.; pl. {Bodies}. [OE. bodi, AS. bodig; akin to
   OHG. botah. [root]257. Cf. {Bodice}.]
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   1. The material organized substance of an animal, whether
      living or dead, as distinguished from the spirit, or vital
      principle; the physical person.
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            Absent in body, but present in spirit. --1 Cor. v. 3
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            For of the soul the body form doth take.
            For soul is form, and doth the body make. --Spenser.
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   2. The trunk, or main part, of a person or animal, as
      distinguished from the limbs and head; the main, central,
      or principal part, as of a tree, army, country, etc.
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            Who set the body and the limbs
            Of this great sport together?         --Shak.
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            The van of the king's army was led by the general; .
            . . in the body was the king and the prince.
                                                  --Clarendon.
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            Rivers that run up into the body of Italy.
                                                  --Addison.
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   3. The real, as opposed to the symbolical; the substance, as
      opposed to the shadow.
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            Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body
            is of Christ.                         --Col. ii. 17.
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   4. A person; a human being; -- frequently in composition; as,
      anybody, nobody.
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            A dry, shrewd kind of a body.         --W. Irving.
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   5. A number of individuals spoken of collectively, usually as
      united by some common tie, or as organized for some
      purpose; a collective whole or totality; a corporation;
      as, a legislative body; a clerical body.
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            A numerous body led unresistingly to the slaughter.
                                                  --Prescott.
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   6. A number of things or particulars embodied in a system; a
      general collection; as, a great body of facts; a body of
      laws or of divinity.
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   7. Any mass or portion of matter; any substance distinct from
      others; as, a metallic body; a moving body; an a["e]riform
      body. "A body of cold air." --Huxley.
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            By collision of two bodies, grind
            The air attrite to fire.              --Milton.
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   8. Amount; quantity; extent.
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   9. That part of a garment covering the body, as distinguished
      from the parts covering the limbs.
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   10. The bed or box of a vehicle, on or in which the load is
       placed; as, a wagon body; a cart body.
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   11. (Print.) The shank of a type, or the depth of the shank
       (by which the size is indicated); as, a nonpareil face on
       an agate body.
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   12. (Geom.) A figure that has length, breadth, and thickness;
       any solid figure.
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   13. Consistency; thickness; substance; strength; as, this
       color has body; wine of a good body.
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   Note: Colors bear a body when they are capable of being
         ground so fine, and of being mixed so entirely with
         oil, as to seem only a very thick oil of the same
         color.
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   14. (A["e]ronautics) The central, longitudinal framework of a
       flying machine, to which are attached the planes or
       a["e]rocurves, passenger accommodations, controlling and
       propelling apparatus, fuel tanks, etc. Also called
       {fuselage}.
       [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

   {After body} (Naut.), the part of a ship abaft the dead flat.
      

   {Body cavity} (Anat.), the space between the walls of the
      body and the inclosed viscera; the c[ae]lum; -- in
      mammals, divided by the diaphragm into thoracic and
      abdominal cavities.

   {Body of a church}, the nave.

   {Body cloth}; pl.

   {Body cloths}, a cloth or blanket for covering horses.

   {Body clothes}. (pl.)

   1. Clothing for the body; esp. underclothing.

   2. Body cloths for horses. [Obs.] --Addison.

   {Body coat}, a gentleman's dress coat.

   {Body color} (Paint.), a pigment that has consistency,
      thickness, or body, in distinction from a tint or wash.

   {Body of a law} (Law), the main and operative part.

   {Body louse} (Zool.), a species of louse ({Pediculus
      vestimenti}), which sometimes infests the human body and
      clothes. See {Grayback}.

   {Body plan} (Shipbuilding), an end elevation, showing the
      conbour of the sides of a ship at certain points of her
      length.

   {Body politic}, the collective body of a nation or state as
      politically organized, or as exercising political
      functions; also, a corporation. --Wharton.
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            As to the persons who compose the body politic or
            associate themselves, they take collectively the
            name of "people", or "nation".        --Bouvier.
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   {Body servant}, a valet.

   {The bodies seven} (Alchemy), the metals corresponding to the
      planets. [Obs.]
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            Sol gold is, and Luna silver we threpe (=call), Mars
            yren (=iron), Mercurie quicksilver we clepe,
            Saturnus lead, and Jupiter is tin, and Venus coper.
                                                  --Chaucer.
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   {Body snatcher}, one who secretly removes without right or
      authority a dead body from a grave, vault, etc.; a
      resurrectionist.

   {Body snatching} (Law), the unauthorized removal of a dead
      body from the grave; usually for the purpose of
      dissection.
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