lettre de cachet

(lɛtrə də kaʃɛ) n, pl lettres de cachet (lɛtrə də kaʃɛ) (Historical Terms) French history a letter under the sovereign's seal, often authorizing imprisonment without trial[literally: letter with a seal]

let•tre de ca•chet

(lɛ tr^ə də kaˈʃɛ)

n., pl. let•tres de ca•chet (lɛ tr^ə də kaˈʃɛ)
French. a letter under the seal of the sovereign, esp. one ordering imprisonment, frequently without trial.

Thesaurus

Noun

lettre de cachet - a warrant formerly issued by a French king who could warrant imprisonment or death in a signed letter under his sealcachetwarrant - a writ from a court commanding police to perform specified actslaw, jurisprudence - the collection of rules imposed by authority; "civilization presupposes respect for the law"; "the great problem for jurisprudence to allow freedom while enforcing order"

lettre de cachet

(lĕ`trə də käshā`), formerly in French law, private, sealed document, issued as a communication from the king. Such a letter could order imprisonment or exile for an individual without recourse to courts of law. Of very early origin, the lettre de cachet came into common use in the 17th cent. as an instrument of the new monarchy. Although its actual use was restrained, the issuance to local officials of lettres de cachet with the space for the name left blank inspired great fear. The occasional invocation of them against leaders of opinion, including Voltaire, became a symbol of arbitrary royal power and tyranny. They were abolished by the Constituent Assembly in the French Revolution. Napoleon I briefly renewed use of the lettres de cachet.

lettre de cachet

Related to lettre de cachet: taille

noun

Synonyms for lettre de cachet

noun a warrant formerly issued by a French king who could warrant imprisonment or death in a signed letter under his seal

Synonyms

cachet

Related Words

warrant
law
jurisprudence

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