adulterous

[ADULTERY.] 1. Pertaining to adultery. When applied to a person, it means guilty of adultery. "Such is the way of an adulterous woman."-Prov. Xxx. 20. IMG:content-0197.png:[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small] L. Law & Ord. Lang. An unlawful commerce among two married persons not standing to each other in the relation of husband and wife, or between a married person and another unmarried. In the former case it has been called double, and in the latter single adultery. Varied punishments, mostly of a very severe character, have in nearly all countries and ages been inflicted on those who have committed this great offence. In some cases it has been deemed lawful for a husband or the woman's father to kill the guilty person if taken in the act. By the law of England, the slaughter of the offending parties in such cases is deemed manslaughter of a not very aggravated sort. The spiritual courts give divorce a mensa et thoro , meaning from board and bed. The Court for Divorce and Matrimonial Causes, created by 20 and 22 Vict., c. 85, grants it a vinculo matrimonii , from the bond of marriage, with damages often heavy against the "co-respondent." pine, pit, sire, sir, marine; gō, pòt, "So neither was anything but adultery esteemed a violation of the seventh [commandment]."-Jeremy Taylor: The Decalogue , II. Scripture & Theology: 1. Any violation of the law of chastity, in thought, word, or deed, specially the sin described under No. I. "Thou shalt not commit adultery ."- Exod . xx. 14. 2. The worship of idols, or of any created things; a transference to them of the affection which should have been supremely given to God. she [the nation of Judah defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks," Jer. iii. 9. IMG:content-0198.png:[blocks in formation]