legal weight

American

noun

the weight of merchandise itself plus that of its immediate wrapping material but not of the outside shipping container: used especially in some Latin American countries for the purpose of assessing import duties.

Example Sentences

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legal weight

Recently, the government has resorted to grand jury subpoenas, which carry more legal weight, to identify users.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

An ICJ opinion is not legally binding, but the court believes it carries "great legal weight and moral authority".

From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2025

Some people in the transgender community now worry GRCs have lost their legal weight and will only serve a symbolic purpose from now on.

From BBC ● Apr. 16, 2025

It was a noble declaration of principles that carried no legal weight and had little resemblance to real life — even for many of the signers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 3, 2023

Because a witness making a statement from the dock does not submit to cross-examination or questions from the bench, the state-ment does not have the same legal weight as ordinary testimony.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023