restitution
    n 1: a sum of money paid in compensation for loss or injury
         [syn: damages, amends, indemnity, indemnification,
         restitution, redress]
    2: the act of restoring something to its original state
    3: getting something back again; "upon the restitution of the
       book to its rightful owner the child was given a tongue
       lashing" [syn: restitution, return, restoration,
       regaining]

Restitution \Res`ti*tu"tion\ (r?s`t?*t?"sh?n), n. [F.
   restitution, L. restitutio. See Restitute, v.]
   1. The act of restoring anything to its rightful owner, or of
      making good, or of giving an equivalent for any loss,
      damage, or injury; indemnification.
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            A restitution of ancient rights unto the crown.
                                                  --Spenser.
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            He restitution to the value makes.    --Sandys.
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   2. That which is offered or given in return for what has been
      lost, injured, or destroved; compensation.
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   3. (Physics) The act of returning to, or recovering, a former
      state; as, the restitution of an elastic body.
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   4. (Med.) The movement of rotetion which usually occurs in
      childbirth after the head has been delivered, and which
      causes the latter to point towards the side to which it
      was directed at the beginning of labor.
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   Syn: Restoration; return; indemnification; reparation;
        compensation; amends; remuneration.
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RESTITUTION, practice. The return of something to the owner of it, or to the 
person entitled to it. 
     2. After property has been taken into execution, and the judgment has 
been reversed or set aside, the party against whom the execution was sued 
out shall have restitution, and this is enforced by a writ of restitution. 
Cro. Jac. 698; 4 Mod. 161. When the thing levied upon under an execution has 
not been sold, the thing itself shall be restored; when it has been sold, 
the price for which it is sold is to be restored. Roll. Ab. 778; Bac. Ab. 
Execution, Q; 1 Al. & S. 425. 
     3. The phrase restitution of conjugal rights frequently occurs in the 
ecclesiastical courts. A suit may there be brought for this purpose whenever 
either the husband or wife is guilty of the injury of subtraction, or lives 
separate from the other without sufficient reason; by which the party 
injured may compel the other to return to cohabitation. 1 Bl. Com. 94; 1 
Addams, R. 305; 3 Hagg. Eccl. R. 619. 

RESTITUTION, maritime law. The placing back or restoring articles which have 
been lost by jettison; this is done when the remainder of the cargo has been 
saved at the general charge of the owners of the cargo; but when the 
remainder of the goods are afterwards lost, there is not any restitution. 
Stev. on Av. 1, c. 1, s. 1, art. 1, ii., 8. Vide Recompense.