Chance medley

Chance medley

Chance medley (from the Anglo-French chance-medlee, a mixed chance), is a term from English law used to describe a homicide arising from a sudden quarrel or fight. The term distinguishes a killing that lacks malice aforethought necessary for murder, on the one hand, and pure accident.

The term is, therefore, a practical synonym with the modern "manslaughter."

References

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 


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  • Chance-medley — Chance med ley, n. [Chance + medley.] 1. (Law) The killing of another in self defense upon a sudden and unpremeditated encounter. See {Chaud Medley}. [1913 Webster] Note: The term has been sometimes applied to any kind of homicide by misadventure …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • chance-medley — [chans′med΄lē] n. [lit., mixed chance: see CHANCE & MEDLEY] 1. accidental homicide; esp., a killing in self defense during a sudden fight 2. haphazard action …   English World dictionary

  • chance-medley — chance′ med ley n. 1) lawg a homicide during a chance encounter 2) lawg aimless, random action • Etymology: 1485–95; < AF chance medlee …   From formal English to slang

  • chance-medley — chance med·ley …   English syllables

  • chance-medley — noun Etymology: Anglo French chance medlée mingled chance Date: 15th century 1. accidental homicide not entirely without fault of the killer but without evil intent 2. haphazard action ; confusion …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • chance-medley — noun Law, rare the accidental killing of a person in a fight. Origin C15: from Anglo Norman Fr. chance medlee, lit. mixed chance …   English new terms dictionary

  • chance-medley — /ˈtʃæns mɛdli/ (say chans medlee), /tʃans / (say chahns ) noun Law a sudden quarrel with violence, in the course of which one party kills or wounds another in self defence or in the heat of passion. {Anglo French chance medlée mixed chance} …  

  • chance-medley — n. (pl. eys) 1 Law a fight, esp. homicidal, beginning unintentionally. 2 inadvertency. Etymology: AF chance medlee (see MEDDLE) mixed chance …   Useful english dictionary

  • chance-medley — /chans med lee, chahns /, n. Law. 1. a killing occurring during a sudden and unpredicted encounter. 2. aimless and random action. [1485 95; < AF chance medlee] * * * …   Universalium

  • chance-medley — In criminal law, a sudden affray. This word is sometimes applied to any kind of homicide by misadventure, but in strictness it is applicable to such killing only as happens in defending one s self. 4 Bl. Comm. 184 …   Black's law dictionary

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