n. [ F. privilège, L. privilegium an ordinance or law against or in favor of an individual; privus private + lex, legis, law. See Private, and Legal. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A peculiar benefit, advantage, or favor; a right or immunity not enjoyed by others or by all; special enjoyment of a good, or exemption from an evil or burden; a prerogative; advantage; franchise. [ 1913 Webster ]

He pleads the legal privilege of a Roman. Kettlewell. [ 1913 Webster ]

The privilege birthright was a double portion. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

A people inheriting privileges, franchises, and liberties. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Stockbroker's Cant) See Call, Put, Spread, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

Breach of privilege. See under Breach. --
Question of privilege (Parliamentary practice), a question which concerns the security of a member of a legislative body in his special privileges as such. --
Water privilege, the advantage of having machinery driven by a stream, or a place affording such advantage. [ U. S. ] --
Writ of privilege (Law), a writ to deliver a privileged person from custody when arrested in a civil suit. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Prerogative; immunity; franchise; right; claim; liberty. -- Privilege, Prerogative. Privilege, among the Romans, was something conferred upon an individual by a private law; and hence, it denotes some peculiar benefit or advantage, some right or immunity, not enjoyed by the world at large. Prerogative, among the Romans, was the right of voting first; and, hence, it denotes a right of precedence, or of doing certain acts, or enjoying certain privileges, to the exclusion of others. It is the privilege of a member of Congress not to be called in question elsewhere for words uttered in debate. It is the prerogative of the president to nominate judges and executive officers. It is the privilege of a Christian child to be instructed in the true religion. It is the prerogative of a parent to govern and direct his children. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Privileged p. pr. & vb. n. Privileging. ] [ Cf. F. privilégier. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To grant some particular right or exemption to; to invest with a peculiar right or immunity; to authorize; as, to privilege representatives from arrest. [ 1913 Webster ]

To privilege dishonor in thy name. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To bring or put into a condition of privilege or exemption from evil or danger; to exempt; to deliver. [ 1913 Webster ]

He took this place for sanctuary, And it shall privilege him from your hands. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Invested with a privilege; enjoying a peculiar right, advantage, or immunity. [ 1913 Webster ]

Privileged communication. (Law) (a) A communication which can not be disclosed without the consent of the party making it, -- such as those made by a client to his legal adviser, or by persons to their religious or medical advisers. (b) A communication which does not expose the party making it to indictment for libel, -- such as those made by persons communicating confidentially with a government, persons consulted confidentially as to the character of servants, etc. --
Privileged debts (Law), those to which a preference in payment is given out of the estate of a deceased person, or out of the estate of an insolvent. Wharton. Burrill. --
Privileged witnesses (Law) witnesses who are not obliged to testify as to certain things, as lawyers in relation to their dealings with their clients, and officers of state as to state secrets; also, by statute, clergymen and physicans are placed in the same category, so far as concerns information received by them professionally. [ 1913 Webster ]