Parliament

Parliament, pär′li-ment, n. a meeting for deliberation: the supreme legislature of Great Britain, also of some of her colonies: in France, down to the Revolution, one of certain superior and final courts of judicature, in which also the edicts of the king were registered before becoming law.—adjs. Parliamentā′rian, adhering to the Parliament in opposition to Charles I.; Parliament′ary, pertaining to parliament: enacted or done by parliament: according to the rules and practices of legislative bodies.—Parliamentary agent, a person employed by private persons or societies for drafting bills or managing business to be brought before parliament; Parliamentary borough, a borough having the right of sending a member or members to parliament; Parliamentary train, a train which, by act of parliament, runs both ways along a line of railway, at least once each day, at the rate of one penny per mile.—Act of parliament, a statute that has passed through both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, and received the formal royal assent. [Fr. parlement—parler, to speak.]