v. [Back-formation from LEGISLATOR, LEGISLATION.]
1. trans. To make laws for. rare–1.
1719. D’Urfey, Pills (1872), II. 66. The Parliament sate … Legislating the Nation.
2. intr. To perform the function of legislation; to make or enact laws.
1805. Bp. Watson, Charge (1808), 16. Solon, in legislating for the Athenians, had an idea of a more perfect Constitution than he gave them.
1841. W. Spalding, Italy & It. Isl., II. 119. The emperor had a right to legislate for the whole country.
1846. M’Culloch, Acc. Brit. Empire (1854), II. 247. The renunciation by the British Parliament of the right to legislate for that kingdom [Ireland].
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), V. 135. All states legislate under the idea that there are two classes of actions, the voluntary and the involuntary.
3. quasi-trans. To bring or drive by legislation into or out of. Also rarely trans. to bring about or control by legislation.
1845. [see LEGISLATED ppl. a. below].
1847. R. W. Hamilton, Disq. Sabbath, ii. (1848), 39. The same power which legislated the very circumstances, alone can release them.
1849. Tait’s Mag., XVI. 401/2. Trades’ unions … should be educated, and not legislated into usefulness.
1854. Act U.S.A. Congress, in Encycl. Brit. (1860), XXI. 442/2. Not to legislate Slavery into any Territory or State.
1859. W. Chadwick, Life De Foe, iv. 237. I do not want to see a people legislated into poverty.
1887. Rider Haggard, Jess, i. (1899), 78. It [this sentiment] is beginning to die down and to be legislated out of our national character.
Hence Legislated ppl. a., Legislating vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
1845. R. W. Hamilton, Pop. Educ., viii. (ed. 2), 178. Schemes of legislated instruction.
1890–1. J. Orr, Christian View God (1893), 131. The … presence of a morally legislating and commanding Reason within us.
1898. Westm. Gaz., 16 May, 2/1. The legislated depreciation of this one estate … had cost him … not less than £120,000.
1899. A. E. Garvie, Ritschlian. Theol., 33. He analyses the conceptions of the condemning and of the legislating conscience.
