Legal Definitions - witword

Definition: Witword (wit-wərd) is a historical term that refers to two different things:

1. A legally allowed claim, especially the right to prove ownership or possession by swearing an oath.
2. A will or testament.

Examples:

• When someone claimed ownership of a piece of land in the past, they could prove it by making a witword, which meant swearing an oath in front of witnesses.
• If someone wanted to leave their property to their children after they died, they would create a witword, which was a legal document that stated their wishes.

These examples illustrate how witword was used in the past to establish legal rights and settle disputes. By making a witword, a person could prove their ownership or transfer their property to someone else after they died.