in Law, is a word properly used by the grand inquest impannedled in the inquisition of causes criminal and public, and written upon the bill, by which any crime is offered to their consideration, when they dislike the evidence, as defective, or too weak to make good the presentment; the effect of which word so written is, that all further inquiry for that fault is thereby stopped, and the party delivered without further answer. It resembles that custom of the ancient Romans, where the judges, when they absolved a person accused, wrote A. upon a little table provided for that purpose, meaning thereby absolviens; but if they judged him guilty, they wrote C. for condemnamus; and if they found the cause difficult and doubtful, they wrote N.L. for non liquet.