(Lat.) Body; the body; an aggregate or mass, (of men, laws, or articles;) physical substance, as distinguished from intellectual conception; the principal sum or capital, as distinguished from interest or income. A substantial or positive fact, as distinguished from equivocal and ambiguous. The corpus ilclicti (body of an offense) is the fact of its having been actually committed. Best, Pres. 209-279. A corporeal act of any kind, (as distinguished from animus or mere intention.) on the part of him who wishes to acquire a thing, whereby he obtains the physical ability to exercise his power over it whenever he pleases. The word occurs frequently in this sense in the civil law . Mackeld. Rom. Law,
Black’s Law Online Dictionary
