【法】 有关公地开垦的法律, 公地开垦法

[ noun ]
a law conferring privileges on owners of homesteads
<noun.communication>

Homestead \Home"stead\, n. [AS. h[=a]mstede.]
1. The home place; a home and the inclosure or ground
immediately connected with it. --Dryden.

2. The home or seat of a family; place of origin.

We can trace them back to a homestead on the Rivers
Volga and Ural. --W. Tooke.

3. (Law) The home and appurtenant land and buildings owned by
the head of a family, and occupied by him and his family.

{Homestead law}.
(a) A law conferring special privileges or exemptions upon
owners of homesteads; esp., a law exempting a
homestead from attachment or sale under execution for
general debts. Such laws, with limitations as to the
extent or value of the property, exist in most of the
States. Called also {homestead exemption law}.
(b) Also, a designation of an Act of Congress authorizing
and regulating the sale of public lands, in parcels of
160 acres each, to actual settlers. [U.S.]