Declaration \Dec`la*ra"tion\, n. [F. d['e]claration, fr. L.
   declaratio, fr. declarare. See Declare.]
   1. The act of declaring, or publicly announcing; explicit
      asserting; undisguised token of a ground or side taken on
      any subject; proclamation; exposition; as, the declaration
      of an opinion; a declaration of war, etc.
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   2. That which is declared or proclaimed; announcement;
      distinct statement; formal expression; avowal.
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            Declarations of mercy and love . . . in the Gospel.
                                                  --Tillotson.
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   3. The document or instrument containing such statement or
      proclamation; as, the Declaration of Independence (now
      preserved in Washington).
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            In 1776 the Americans laid before Europe that noble
            Declaration, which ought to be hung up in the
            nursery of every king, and blazoned on the porch of
            every royal palace.                   --Buckle.
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   4. (Law) That part of the process or pleadings in which the
      plaintiff sets forth in order and at large his cause of
      complaint; the narration of the plaintiff's case
      containing the count, or counts. See Count, n., 3.
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   Declaration of Independence. (Amer. Hist.) See Declaration
      of Independence in the vocabulary. See also under
      Independence.

   Declaration of rights. (Eng. Hist) See Bill of rights,
      under Bill.

   Declaration of trust (Law), a paper subscribed by a grantee
      of property, acknowledging that he holds it in trust for
      the purposes and upon the terms set forth. --Abbott.
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