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Illicit vs Errant - What's the difference?

illicit | errant |

As adjectives the difference between illicit and errant

is that illicit is (legal) not approved by law, but not invalid while errant is straying from the proper course or standard, or outside established limits.

illicit

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • (legal) Not approved by law, but not invalid.
    • The bigamous marriage, while illicit, was not invalid.
  • * {{quote-book
    • , date = 2008-01-08 , title = Memo to the President Elect: How We Can Restore America's Reputation and Leadership , first = Madeleine , last = Albright , authorlink = Madeleine Albright , location = New York , publisher = HarperCollins , isbn = 9780061351808 , ol = 9952500M , page = 225 , passage = Such migrants may violate our laws against illicit entry, but if that's all they do then they are trespassers, not criminals. }}
  • Breaking social norms.
  • * {{quote-book
    • , year = 1993 , title = Diaries: In Power 1983-1992 , first = Alan , last = Clark , authorlink = Alan Clark , location = London , publisher = Weidenfeld and Nicholson , isbn = 0297813528 , ol = 1046930M , passage = I only can properly enjoy carol services if I am having an illicit affair with someone in the congregation. }}
  • Unlawful.
  • * {{quote-book
    • , date = 2010-07-29 , title = (The Dervish House) , first = Ian , last = McDonald , authorlink = Ian McDonald (British author) , isbn = 9780575089044 , ol = 25418126M , url = http://books.google.com/books?id=-rgZys-M4q4C&pg=PT328&dq=illicit , passage = Ay?e Erkoç learned long ago that the secret of doing anything illicit in Istanbul is to do it in full public gaze in the clear light of day. No one ever questions the legitimacy of the blatant. }}

    Usage notes

    Licit and valid are legal terms to be compared, especially in terms of canon law. With bigamy, if there is an innocent party, the innocent party is validly married; the problem is with the guilty party, who has entered into an illegal second marriage without first divorcing the earlier spouse. The marriage is valid in canon law (and often, civil law), but the guilty party goes to jail nonetheless, in that the marriage is illicit (and illegal), and the innocent party routinely receives a fast annulment and the full sympathy of the court. A corollary is that the children born of such unions are inherently legitimate.

    Synonyms

    * criminal * illegal * illegitimate * prohibited * unlawful

    errant

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (l) (obsolete)

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Straying from the proper course or standard, or outside established limits.
  • * Sir Thomas Browne
    • seven planets or errant stars in the lower orbs of heaven
  • Prone to making errors.
  • (proscribed) Utter, complete (negative); arrant.
  • * Ben Jonson
    • would make me an errant fool

    Usage notes

    Sometimes is considered simply an alternative spelling and pronunciation of errant', though many authorities distinguish them, reserving '''errant''' to mean “wandering” and using it ''after'' the noun it modifies, notably is “knight '''errant ”, while using ''arrant'' to mean “utter”, in a negative sense, and ''before'' the noun it modifies, notably in “''arrant knaves”. Etymologically, arrant arose as a variant of errant , but the meanings have long since diverged. Both terms are archaic, primarily used in set phrases (which may be considered ), and are easily confused, and on that basis some authorities suggest against using either.

    Synonyms

    *

    Derived terms

    * (l) * (l)

    References

    * “ arrant/errant”, Common Errors in English Usage, Paul Brians * On Language: Arrant Nonsense, (William Safire), January 22, 2006, (New York Times) * Merriam–Webster’s dictionary of English usage, 1995, “errant, arrant”, pp. 406–407

    Anagrams

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