pro domino

English

WOTD – 16 February 2017

Etymology

Borrowing from Latin prō (“as, like; as befitting”) + dominō (“owner of a residence; the master of its servants and slaves; lord”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /pɹəʊ ˈdɒmɪnəʊ/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /pɹoʊ ˈdɑmənoʊ/

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: pro do‧mi‧no

Adverb

pro domino (not comparable)

1. (law) In the capacity of a master or an owner; having dominion over a person, property, or a right.
   • 1892, J. D. Sheil, editor, “Cape Times” Law Reports: A Record of Every Matter Disposed of in the Supreme Court, during the Year 1892, volume II, Cape Town: Cape Times, →OCLC:

     […] as of right and pro domino to occupy […]

   • 1920, A. E. Carlisle, T. B. Horwood, editors, South African Law Reports. Natal Provincial Division. Decisions of the Supreme Court of South Africa (Natal Provincial Division) (including the Durban and Coast Local Division), volume 40, Pietermaritzburg: Incorporated Law Society of Natal, →OCLC, page 186:

     [W]hen the Natal Native Trust became Trustee, he held lot 52 no longer permissively but pro domino; […]

   • 1957, South African Law Reports, volume I, Cape Town: Juta & Co., →OCLC, page 505:

     Pro domino or otherwise? M. C. Bosman states that D. S. du Toit possessed as owner and I accept his evidence on this point too, corroborated as it is by the circumstances and the probabilities.

References

• Bryan A. Garner, editor (2014), Black's Law Dictionary, 10th edition, St. Paul, Minn.: Thomson Reuters, →ISBN.