Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Petit
Pet′it
(pĕt′y̆; F. pe-tē̍′)
, Adj.
[F. See
Petty
.] 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
. [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.
Webster 1828 Edition
Petit
PETIT
,Adj.
This word petit is now generally written petty.
Petit constable, an inferior civil officer subordinate to the high constable.
Petit jury, a jury of twelve freeholders who are empanneled to try causes at the bar of a court; so called in distinction from the grand jury, which tries the truth of indictments.
Petit larceny, the stealing of goods of the value of twelve pence, or under that amount; opposed to grand larceny.
serjeanty, in English law, the tenure of lands of the king, by the service of rendering to him annually some implement of war, as a bow, an arrow, a sword, lance, &c.
Petit treason, the crime of killing a person, to whom the offender owes duty or subjection. Thus it is petit treason for a wife to kill her husband, or a servant his lord or master.