See Also:

fleeting (oh) and by-law (medicine)


fleeting (oh)



[Date: 1600-1700; Origin: fleet 'to go quickly' (16-19 centuries), from Old English fleotan 'to float']
lasting for only a short time
-synonym brief brief
::a fleeting smile
::For one fleeting moment , Paula allowed herself to forget her troubles.
::I caught a fleeting glimpse of them as they drove past.
::Carol was paying a fleeting visit to Paris.
-- fleetingly adv

by-law (medicine)


by-law


1. A local or subordinate law; a private law or regulation made by a corporation for its own government. "There was likewise a law to restrain the by-laws, or ordinances of corporations." (Bacon) "The law or institution; to which are added two by-laws, as a comment upon the General law." (Addison)

2. A law that is less important than a General law or constitutional provision, and subsidiary to it; a rule relating to a matter of detail; as, civic societies often adopt a constitution and by-laws for the government of their members. In this sense the word has probably been influenced by by, meaning secondary or aside.

Origin: Cf.Sw.bylag, D.bylov, Icel.barlog, fr.Sw.& Dan. By town, Icel. Baer, byr (fr. Bua to dwell) + the word for law; hence, a law for one town, a special law. Cf.Birlaw and see Law.

Source: Websters Dictionary