Breach of privilege. See under Breach. -- Question of privilege
(Parliamentary practice), a question which concerns the security of a
member of a legislative body in his special privileges as such. --
Water privilege, the advantage of having machinery driven by a stream,
or a place affording such advantage. [ U. S.] -- Writ of privilege
(Law), a writ to deliver a privileged person from custody when arrested
in a civil suit. Blackstone.
Syn. -- Prerogative; immunity; franchise; right; claim; liberty. --
Privilege, Prerogative. Privilege, among the Romans, was something
conferred upon an individual by a private law; and hence, it denotes
some peculiar benefit or advantage, some right or immunity, not enjoyed
by the world at large. Prerogative, among the Romans, was the right of
voting first; and, hence, it denotes a right of precedence, or of doing
certain acts, or enjoying certain privileges, to the exclusion of
others. It is the privilege of a member of Congress not to be called in
question elsewhere for words uttered in debate. It is the prerogative
of the president to nominate judges and executive officers. It is the
privilege of a Christian child to be instructed in the true religion.
It is the prerogative of a parent to govern and direct his children.
Priv"i*lege (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Privileged (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Privileging.] [Cf. F. privilÈgier.]
1. To grant some particular right or exemption to; to invest with a
peculiar right or immunity; to authorize; as, to privilege
representatives from arrest.
To privilege dishonor in thy name.
Shak.
2. To bring or put into a condition of privilege or exemption from evil
or danger; to exempt; to deliver.
He took this place for sanctuary, And it shall privilege him from
your hands.
Shak.
Priv"i*leged (?), a. Invested with a privilege; enjoying a peculiar
right, advantage, or immunity.
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.
Priv"i*ly, adv. In a privy manner; privately; secretly. Chaucer. 2 Pet.
ii. 1.
Priv"i*ty (?), n.; pl. Privities (-tz). [From Privy, a.: cf. F.
privautÈ extreme familiarity.]