DIGEST

A collection or compilation, embodying the chief matter of numerous books in one, disposed under proper heads or titles, and usually by an alphabetical arrange- ment, for facility in reference. As a legal term, "digest" is to be distinguished from "abridgment." The latter is a summary or epitome of the contents of a single work, in which, as a rule, the original order or sequence of parts is preserved, and in which the principal labor of the compiler is in the matter of consolidation. A di- gest is wider in its scope; is made up of quota- tions or paraphrased passages; and has its own system of classification and arrangement. An “in- dex" merely points out the places where particu- lar matters may be found, without purporting to give such matters in extenso. A "treatise" or "commentary" is not a compilation, but an orig- inal composition, though it may include quotations and excerpts. A reference to the "Digest," or "Dig.," is always understood to designate the Digest (or Pandects) of the Justinian collection; that being the digest par eminence, and the authoritative compilation of the Roman law. deacons, etc.; but it now includes all the prebendaries and canons of the church. Brande.

A compilation arranged in an orderly manner. The name is given to a great variety of topical compilations, abridgments, and analytical indices of reports, statutes, etc. When reference is made to the Digest, the Pandects of Justinian are intended, they being the authoritative compilation of the civil law. As to this Digest and the mode of citing it, Bee PANDECTS. Other digests are referred to by their distinctive names. For some account of digests of the civil and canon law, and those of Indian law, Bee CIVIL LAW, CODE, and CANON LAW. The digests of English and American law are for the most part deemed not authorities, but simply manuals of reference, by which the reader may find his way to the original cases which are authorities. 1 Burr. 864; 2 Wils. 1, 2. Some of them, however, which have been the careful work of scholarly law- yers, possess an independent value as original re positories of the law. Bacon's Abridgment, which has long been deservedly popular in this country, and Comyns's Digest, also often cited, are examples of these. The earlier English digests are those of Statham (Hen. VL), Fitzherbert, 1516, Brooke, 1578, Rolle, Danvers, Nelson, Viner, and Petersdorf. Of these Rolle and Viner are still not unfrequently cited, and some others rarely. The several digests by Coventry & Hughes, Harrison, Fisher, Jacobs, and Chitty, together with the subsequent annual digests of Emden and of Mews, afford a convenient index for the American reader to the English reports. In most of the United States one or more digests of the state reports have been published, and in some of them digests or topical arrangements of the statutes. There are also digests of the federal reports, the federal statutes, and one known as the United States Digest, with the annual volumes from 1878 to 1889 and the American Digest and the General Digest subsequent to that date, which cover the re- ports of the federal and state courts together. Dane's Abridgment of American Law has been com- mended by high authority (Story's article in N. Am. Rev. July, 1826), but it has not maintained a position as a work of general use. There are also numerous digests of cases on particular titles of the law. DIGEST, THE. See FIFTY DECISIONS,

(387) Dies dominicus non est juridicus (Co. Litt. 35): A dominical day [i. e. a Sunday] is not a court day. DIES EXCRESCENS.-The added day in leap-year. See BISSEXTILE. DIES FASTI, or NEFASTI.-Business days, holidays and half-holidays. For the purpose of the administration of justice all days were divided by the Romans into fasti and nefasti. Dies fasti were the days on which the prætor was allowed to administer justice in the public courts. Dies nefasti were days on which neither courts of justice nor comitia were allowed to be held, and which were dedicated to other purposes. DIES GRATIÆ. -In old English law, a day of grace, or favor. Co. Litt. 134 b. Dies inceptus pro completo habetur: A day begun is held as complete. Dies incertus pro conditione habetur: An uncertain day is held as a condition. DIES INTERCISI.-In the Roman law, some of the dies fasti on which comitia could be held during a part of the day. 1. In jurisprudence, a digest properly means a collection of rules of law on concrete cases, as opposed to a code, which consists of abstract rules of law. In other words, a code lays down principles, while a digest gives examples of their application to certain combinations of facts. A digest may be either a legislative work (as the Digest of Justinian), or it may be the work of a private author. See CODE. 2. In English phraseology, digest sometimes means (1) a collection of head-notes of decided cases, arranged either alphabetically or systematically, (the older digests -such as those of Rolle and Brookewere called "abridgments;" the modern abridgments-such as that of Baccn-are DIES UTILES.-Available days; useful days; days upon which a party might apply to the judge for an inheritance coming to him. - short treatises on various branches of the law, arranged alphabetically;) and someCalv. Ler

To distribute or arrange methodically; to work over and classify; to reduce to portions for ready use or application; as, to digest the laws, etc. Joining them together and digesting them into order. Blair. We have cause to be glad that matters are so well digested. Shak. To separate (the food) in its passage through the alimentary canal into the nutritive and nonnutritive elements; to prepare, by the action of the digestive juices, for conversion into blood; to convert into chyme. To think over and arrange methodically in the mind; to reduce to a plan or method; to receive in the mind and consider carefully; to get an understanding of; to comprehend. Feelingly digest the words you speak in prayer. Sir H. Sidney. How shall this bosom multiplied digest The senate's courtesy Shak. To appropriate for strengthening and comfort. Grant that we may in such wise hear them [the Scriptures], read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them. Book of Common Prayer. Hence: To bear comfortably or patiently; to be reconciled to; to brook. I never can digest the loss of most of Origin's works. Coleridge. To soften by heat and moisture; to expose to a gentle heat in a boiler or matrass, as a preparation for chemical operations. To dispose to suppurate, or generate healthy pus, as an ulcer or wound. To ripen; to mature. [Obs.] Well-digested fruits. Jer. Taylor. To quiet or abate, as anger or grief.

To undergo digestion; as, food digests well or ill. To suppurate; to generate pus, as an ulcer.

That which is digested; especially, that which is worked over, classified, and arranged under proper heads or titles; esp. (Law), a compilation of statutes or decisions analytically arranged. The term is applied in a general sense to the Pandects of Justinian (see Pandect), but is also specially given by authors to compilations of laws on particular topics; a summary of laws; as, Comyn's Digest; the United States Digest. A complete digest of Hindu and Mahommedan laws after the model of Justinian's celebrated Pandects. Sir W. Jones. They made a sort of institute and digest of anarchy, called the Rights of Man. Burke.

To distribute or arrange methodically; to work over and classify; to reduce to portions for ready use or application. | To separate (the food) in its passage through the alimentary canal into the nutritive and nonnutritive elements; to prepare, by the action of the digestive juices, for conversion into blood; to convert into chyme. | To think over and arrange methodically in the mind; to reduce to a plan or method; to receive in the mind and consider carefully; to get an understanding of; to comprehend. | To bear comfortably or patiently; to be reconciled to; to brook. | To expose to a gentle heat in a boiler or matrass, as a preparation for chemical operations. | To undergo digestion. | To cut with one or more restriction endonucleases. | To suppurate; to generate pus, as an ulcer. | To cause to suppurate, or generate pus, as an ulcer or wound. | To ripen; to mature. | To quieten or reduce (a negative feeling, such as anger or grief).

That which is digested; especially, that which is worked over, classified, and arranged under proper heads or titles. | A compilation of statutes or decisions analytically arranged; a summary of laws. | Any collection of articles, as an Internet mailing list including a week's postings, or a magazine arranging a collection of writings. | The result of applying a hash function to a message.