lit de justice

[ lee duh zhys-tees ]

French.

1. the sofa upon which the king of France sat when holding formal sessions of the parliament.
2. the session itself.

Word History and Origins

Origin of lit de justice¹

Literally, “bed of justice”

Example Sentences

Any man would have taken it for self-deception as well as I: therefore I again wrapped myself in my passive lit de justice and air-bed, and waited with calmness to see whether my fright would subside or not.

From Project Gutenberg

The next day the young King held a Lit de Justice, in which the Parliament was forbidden to occupy itself with the general affairs of the kingdom.

From Project Gutenberg

The royal power saw in this merely a concession from itself, a consultative power, which ought to yield before the royal will, when the latter was clearly manifested, either by lettres de jussion or by the actual words and presence of the king, when he came in person to procure the registration of a law in a so-called lit de justice.

From Project Gutenberg

Louis XV. solemnly condemned them in a lit de justice of December 1770, and in 1771 the chancellor Maupeou took drastic measures against them.

From Project Gutenberg

The Lit de Justice of the 18th of May 1643 had proved authority to remain still so personal an affair that the person of the king, insignificant though that was, continued to be regarded as its absolute depositary.

From Project Gutenberg