A freehold estate in lands or tenements secured to the wife, and to take effect on the decease of the husband, and to continue during her life at the least, unless she be herself the cause of its determination . Vance v. Vance, 21 Me. 369. A competent livelihood of freehold for the wife of lands and tenements to take effect presently in possession or profit, after the decease of the husband, for the life of the wife at least. Co. Litt. 3Gb; 2 Rl. Comm. 137. See Fellers v. Fellers, 54 Neb. 094, 74 N. W. 1077; Saunders v. Saunders, 144 Mo. 4S2, 40 S. W. 428; Graham v. Graham, G7 Hun, 320, 22 N. Y. Supp. 299. A jointure strictly signifies a joint estate limited to both husband and wife, and such was its original form; but, in its more usual form, it is a sole estate limited to the wife only, expectant upon a life-estate In the husband. 2 Bl. Comm. 137; 1 Steph. Comm. 255.
Black’s Law Online Dictionary
