Category:Petit

Pet"it, a. Etym: [f. See petty.]

Defn: small; little; insignificant; mean; -- same as petty. [obs., Except in legal language.] By what small, petit hints does the mind catch hold of and recover a Vanishing notion. South. Petit constable, an inferior civil officer, subordinate to the high Constable. -- petit jury, a jury of twelve men, impaneled to try causes at the Bar of a court; -- so called in distinction from the grand jury. -- petit larceny, the stealing of goods of, or under, a certain Specified small value; -- opposed to grand larceny. The distinction Is abolished in england. -- petit maître (. Etym: [f., lit., little master.] A fop; a Coxcomb; a ladies' man. Goldsmith. -- petit serjeanty (eng. Law), the tenure of lands of the crown, by The service of rendering annually some implement of war, as a bow, an Arrow, a sword, a flag, etc. -- petit treason, formerly, in england, the crime of killing a Person to whom the offender owed duty or subjection, as one's Husband, master, mistress, etc. The crime is now not distinguished From murder.