Legal Definition and Related Resources of Actual

Real; existing presently in act; as in actual possession as distinct from constructive possession. In legal phraseology the word excludes what is fictitious or supposed; having reference to something completed, or being in existence now. Actually is opposed to seemingly, pretendedly or feignedly; truly, in fact

adjective

• absolute
• accurate
• as represented
• ascertained
• authentic
• authenticated
• bona jide
• categorical
• categorically true
• certain
• concrete
• correct
• de facto
• decided
• defined
• definite
• demonstrable
• demonstrated
• determinate
• essential
• exact
• existent
• existing
• factual
• faithful
• genuine
• honest
• in fact
• ipse
• literal
• nonabstract
• not fictitious
• not imaginary
• not merely supposed
• objective
• official
• palpable
• positive
• precise
• present
• real
• realistic
• right
• rightful
• specific
• substantial
• substantive
• tangible
• true
• true to the facts
• true to the letter
• truthful
• unerring
• unerroneous
• unfalla cious
• unfalse
• unimagined
• unimpeachable
• unmistaken
• unrefuted
• unsupposed
• valid
• veracious
• veritable
• verus
• wellfounded
• wellgrounded Associated Concepts: actual authority
• actual bailment
• actual book value
• actual case or controversy
• actual cash value
• actual damages
• actual delivery
• actual earnings
• actual eviction
• actual expense
• actual force
• actual fraud
• actual income
• actual intent
• actual intent to defraud
• actual knowledge
• actual loss
• actual malice
• actual market value
• actual occupancy
• actual possession
• actual residence
• actual use
• actual value
• actual waste
• actually engaged in business
• actually engaged in business
• actually occupied
• actually owing
• actually owning
• actually receive
• fair
• fair reasonable cash price
• reasonable cash price
• actual eviction
• actual expense
• actual force
• actual fraud
• actual income
• actual intent
• actual intent to defraud
• actual knowledge
• actual loss
• actual malice
• actual market value
• actual notice
• actual occupancy
• actual possession
• actual residence
• actual use
• actual value
• actual waste
• actually engaged in business
• actually occupied
• actually owing
• actually owning
• actually receive
• fair
• fair reasonable cash price
• reasonable cash price

Browse or run a search for Actual in the American Encyclopedia of Law, the Asian Encyclopedia of Law, the European Encyclopedia of Law, the UK Encyclopedia of Law or the Latin American and Spanish Encyclopedia of Law.

Actual in Historical Law

You might be interested in the historical meaning of this term. Browse or search for Actual in Historical Law in the Encyclopedia of Law.

Search for legal acronyms and/or abbreviations containing Actual in the Legal Abbreviations and Acronyms Dictionary.

You might be also interested in these legal terms:

Mentioned in these terms

About, Accused, Actual Cash Value, Adverse Possession, Aid And Abet, Allegiance, Amount Financed, Ancient Demesne, Arrest, Assault, Assumption Of Risk, Bailment, Bearer, Blockbusting, Bona Fide, Capital, Cash Basis, Compensatory Damages, Compulsion, Conglomerate Merger, Constructive, Constructive Fraud, Contempt Of Court, Contiguity, , Damages, Delivery, Development, Diversity Of Citizenship, Ejectment, Exist, , Fair Comment, False Imprisonment, Feoffment, Forcible Entry, Fraud, Frustration, , Goods, Hard-core, Hedging, Implication, Implied Authority, Imprisonment, Indemnify, Insurance Adjuster, Insurance Agent, Jacitation, Ju
sticiable, Knowledge, , , Liability, , Livery Of Seisin, Malice Aforethought, Malice In Fact, Market Price, , Notice, Open Insurance Policy, Operation, Penalty, Policy Of Insurance, Possession, Possessory Title, Post Date, Pre-emption, Profession, Punitive Damages, , Rehabilitative Alimony, Reparation, Replevin, Saleable Value, Salvage, Scope Of Authority, Security, Seisin, Seisin, Livery Of, Signet, Special Value, Substituted Service, Symbolic Delivery, Tenant, Theft By False Pretenses, Things In Action, , , Total Loss, Trespass, Trover, .

What does Actual mean in American Law?

The definition of Actual in the law of the United States, as defined by the lexicographer Arthur Leff in his legal dictionary is:

A modifier which, together with its adverbial form, “actually,” is frequently used in legal discourse. At first glance the use often seems redundant, e.g., in “actual payment” and “actual delivery” what does each “actual” add? But the presence of the words “actual” or “actually” uniformly signals a state of the law such that it will be sometimes important to distinguish between different legally relevant meanings of the term being modified. For example, “actual delivery” implies that there are other kinds of delivery, e.g., “presumed delivery,” “constructive delivery,” “implied delivery,” “symbolic delivery,” or “potential delivery,” all with legal significance

from that of the particular act described as “actual delivery.” “Actual” and “actually” are most frequently used to signal a concretely physical act as contrasted to a communicative or symbolic one; a present act as contrasted to a potential, uncompleted or future one; or a directly provable act as contrasted to an assumed, implied, or informed one. But what alternative situation “actual” or “actually” is in any particular instance meant to distinguish is often a subtle and complex question, and the particular entries beginning with “actual” and “actually” below should be consulted. And see generally constructive and entries [s]o beginning.

Legal Usage of Actual in English

An European Commission document offers the following explanation about the misused of Actual:’Actual’ is sometimes used to refer to something that is happening now. However, in English it means ‘real’ or ‘existing’.

Example

‘This appropriation is intended to cover basic salaries of the staff, as listed in the attached table, based on the actual regulations and on the probable adjustments12.’

Alternatives

current, present.

Resources

Further Reading

• David Mellinkoff, “Mellinkoff’s Dictionary of American Legal Usage”, West Publishing Company, 1992
• Bryan A. Garner, “A Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage”, West Publishing Company, 1995

Meaning of Actual

Resources

See Also