a difficult case, argued by the young barristers and students at the inns of court, by way of exercise, the better to qualify them for practice, and to defend the causes of their clients. This, which is called mooting, is the chief exercise of the inns of court. Particular times are appointed for the arguing moot cases: the place where this exercise is performed was anciently called moot-hall; and there is a bailiff, or surveyor of the moots, annually chosen by the bench to appoint the moot men for the inns of chancery, and to keep an account of the performance of exercises. The word is formed either from the Saxon metan, gemetan, "meeting;" or from the French mot, "word."