Definitions for compurgation
com·pur·ga·tion

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. compurgationnoun

   A form of trial in which the defendant took an oath of his innocence and summoned twelve people to swear that they believed him

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Compurgationnoun

   The practice of justifying any man’s veracity by the testimony of another.

   Etymology: compurgatio, Latin.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Compurgation

   Compurgation, also called trial by oath, wager of law, and oath-helping, was a defence used primarily in medieval law. A defendant could establish their innocence or nonliability by taking an oath and by getting a required number of persons, typically twelve, to swear they believed the defendant's oath. The wager of law was essentially a character reference, initially by kin and later by neighbours (from the same region as the defendant), often 11 or 12 men, and it was a way to give credibility to the oath of a defendant at a time when a person's oath had more credibility than a written record. It can be compared to a legal wager, which is the provision of surety at the beginning of legal action to minimize frivolous litigation. Compurgation was found in early Germanic law, in early French law (très ancienne coutume de Bretagne), in Welsh law, and in the English ecclesiastical courts until the seventeenth century. In common law it was substantially abolished as a defence in felonies by the Constitutions of Clarendon in 1164. The defence was still permitted in civil actions for debt and vestiges of it survived until its statutory repeal at various times in common law countries: in England in 1833, and Queensland at some point before the Queensland Common Practice Act of 1867 which makes direct reference to the abolition of wager of law. "Wager of Law, obsolete for centuries" was "a living fossil ... a dead letter statute" and was abolished in England in 1833.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Compurgationverb

   the act or practice of justifying or confirming a man's veracity by the oath of others; -- called also wager of law. See Purgation; also Wager of law, under Wager

2. Compurgationverb

   exculpation by testimony to one's veracity or innocence

3. Etymology: [L. compurgatio, fr. compurgare to purify wholly; com- + purgare to make pure. See Purge, v. t.]

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Compurgation

   Compurgation, also called wager of law, is a defence used primarily in medieval law. A defendant could establish his innocence or nonliability by taking an oath and by getting a required number of persons, typically twelve, to swear they believed the defendant's oath. From Latin, com = with, purgare = make clean, cleanse, excuse L. com is also an intensifier and turns a word into the superlative form, so compurgation, by etymology, means 'to thoroughly clean or excuse'. Compurgation was found in early Germanic law, in Welsh law, and in the English ecclesiastical courts until the 17th century. In common law it was substantially abolished as a defence in felonies by the Constitutions of Clarendon in 1164. The defence was still permitted in civil actions for debt and vestiges of it survived until statutory repeal at various times in common law countries, e.g. in England in 1833, and Queensland, Australia at some point before the Queensland Common Practice Act of 1867. Wager of law survived to recent centuries, and, in many jurisdictions has been repealed by statute. An example of this is the Queensland Common Law Practice Act 1867, s 3., which makes direct reference to the abolition of wager of law.

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Compurgation

   kom-pur-gā′shun, n. the custom, in Anglo-Saxon law, of permitting the accused to call in witnesses to prove his innocency, by joining their oaths to his: evidence in favour of the accused: vindication.—n. Com′purgator, one who testifies to the innocency or veracity of another.—adjs. Compurgatō′rial, Compur′gatory. [L. compurgāre, to purify wholly. See Purge.]

How to pronounce compurgation?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

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   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

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   Fred

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   Tessa

   South African

How to say compurgation in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of compurgation in Chaldean Numerology is: 6

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of compurgation in Pythagorean Numerology is: 8

References

1. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Compurgation
2. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=compurgation
3. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compurgation
4. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/compurgation
5. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=compurgation
6. ^ Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
   https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37683/37683-h/37683-h.htm#:~:text=compurgation