asportation

American  

[as-per-tey-shuhn] / ˌæs pərˈteɪ ʃən /

noun

1. Law. the act of removing someone else’s property in committing the crime of larceny or theft, or of moving a person against their will as an element in some other crime against them.

   The court ruled that evidence was sufficient to prove both asportation and the intent to permanently deprive the owner of his property.

2. Medicine/Medical. surgical removal, as of a tumor.

   Complete asportation of the tumor was confirmed by the postoperative MRI.

3. any act of carrying away or removing.

   Without proper equipment, asportation of the ore from the mine would be impossible.

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Etymology

Origin of asportation

First recorded in 1500–10; from Latin asportātiōn-, stem of asportātiō “removal,” from asportāt(us) “removed” (past participle of asportāre “to remove,” from earlier absportāre, apsportāre (unrecorded), from abs- abs- ( def. ) + portāre “to carry”; see port ⁵ ( def. )) + -iō -ion ( def. )

Example Sentences

Volutes, asportation, imbricated, Mnemosyne and phthisic are a few of the others.

From Washington Post • Sep. 10, 2015

Aubrey, whose "Miscellanies" were published in 1696, had no doubts whatever as to the physical asportation of the witch.

From Among My Books First Series by Lowell, James Russell

Three usucaptions that are not entitled to a fine: fear, warning, asportation.

From The Triads of Ireland by Meyer, Kuno

Indeed, short of getting it upon a trolley or taking 'the steering' down, its asportation could not be compassed.

From Jonah and Co. by Yates, Dornford

The greatest doubt and question will be, whether it be in the power of the Devil to perform such asportation and locall translation of the bodies of Witches....

From A History of Witchcraft in England from 1558 to 1718 by Notestein, Wallace