mesne

[ meen ]

adjective

, Law.

1. intermediate or intervening.

mesne

/ miːn /

adjective

1. intermediate or intervening: used esp of any assignment of property before the last

   a mesne assignment

2. mesne profits
   mesne profits rents or profits accruing during the rightful owner's exclusion from his land

Word History and Origins

Origin of mesne¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Anglo-French, spelling variant of meen mean ³

Word History and Origins

Origin of mesne¹

C15: from legal French meien in the middle, mean ³

Example Sentences

An important alteration in the law took place this session, in the abolition of imprisonment for debt on mesne process.

From Project Gutenberg

Having effected this object it seemed but right to abolish imprisonment on mesne process.

From Project Gutenberg

Resigned to accept position of Register of Mesne Conveyances, a very important office which he held for several years.

From Project Gutenberg

Vavassors, that is, mesne tenants, are particularly mentioned in one enumeration of barons attending the court.

From Project Gutenberg

The point of particular reform aimed at by the Bill was to abolish what was called arrest on mesne process.

From Project Gutenberg